KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR. 


ALEX.  H.  JONES, 

MEMBER-ELECT  TO  CONGRESS 

t 

HIS  COURSE 


BEFORE  THE  WAR,  DURING  THE  WAR, 


AND 


AFTER  THE  WAR' 

v 

ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES. 


\ 


WASHINGTON: 

McGILL  &  WITHEROW,  PRINTERS  AND  STEREOTYPERS, 

1866. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


https://archive.org/details/knockingatdooral03jone 


TO  j  THE  PEOPLE. 


In  conformity  to  promises,  made  at  the  solicitation  of 
many,  I  now  proceed  to  the  narration  of  my  course  before, 
during  and  since  the  war,  &c. 

I  was  born  and  brought  up  near  Asheville,  Buncombe 
county,  North  Carolina,  where  I  received  the  rudiments  of 
an  education  in  literature  and  practical  farming,  and  where 
in  my  youth  I  read  the  life  of  Washington,  Marion,  Putnam, 
and  the  history  of  the  United  States.  In  a  word,  I  was 
taught  to  love  the  Union  next  to  my  God.  In  my  seven¬ 
teenth  year,  by  the  consent  of  my  father,  I  volunteered  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  under  the  supervision  of 
General  Winfield  Scott,  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  Government.  In  my  twenty-second  year  I 
married  and  settled  on  a  farm,  where,  from  exposure  and 
hard  labor,  I  became  seriously  afflicted  with  rheumatism, 
and  was  advised  by  my  physician  to  change  my  occupation. 
In  the  year  1851  I  removed  to  Hendersonville,  where  I  en¬ 
gaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  and  continued  up  to  the 
war;  having  never  taken  any  active  part  in  politics  until  the 
year  1860,  and  then  it  was  more  accidental  than  intentional. 

Having  become  an  administrator  of  an  editor,  it  devolved 
upon  me  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  time  as  editor.  In  prin¬ 
ciple  I  was  a  Whig.  Exchange  papers  from  almost  every 
State  in  the  Union  kept  me  posted  in  the  political  world, 
and  I  endeavored  to  give  the  people  the  benefit  of  the  great 
arguments  in  favor  of  the  Union.  My  editorials  were  deter¬ 
mined  and  uncompromising.  I  was  dubbed  by  the  disorgan¬ 
izes  an  abolitionist,  a  Tory,  a  Lincolnite,  &c.  The  postmas-. 
ters  in  South  Carolina  and  some  sections  in  North  Carolina 
refused  to  distribute  the  paper,  calling  it  a  d — d  abolition 
sheet.  Finally  the  administrative  term  of  the  paper  closed, 
but  not  without  making  its  mark  in  western  North  Carolina, 
as  the  sequel  will  show. 


4 


The  year  1861  having  arrived — and  South  Carolina  had 
passed  the  so-called  ordinance  of  secession — and  treason  now- 
making  some  headway  in  North  Carolina,  an  election  was 
called.  The  Union  party  of  the  western  portion  of  the  State 
organized  and  went  almost  unanimously  against  a  conven¬ 
tion.  In  this  election  I  took  quite  an  active  part  in  my 
locality.  Over-rejoiced  at  the  success,  and  hoping  the  ques¬ 
tion  was  set  at  rest  so  far  as  North  Carolina  was  concerned, 
I  gave  vent  to  my  feelings  in  loud  expressions  of  praise  to 
the  western  portion  of  the  State — so  much  so  that  I  was 
marked  as  a  Union  leader.  In  the  meantime  President 
Lincoln  issued  his  proclamation,  calling  on  the  loyal  States 
for  troops  to  put  down  the  rebellion;  and  Governor  Ellis, 
instead  of  furnishing  his  quota  of  men,  replied  to  the  Presi¬ 
dent:  “You  cannot  get  a  single  man;  but  North  Carolina 
will  furnish  forty  thousand  for  the  South,”  &c.  Volunteer 
companies  were  formed  throughout  the  State,  and  every 
thing  done  in  order  to  excite  the  people  to  the  highest  point. 
Meetings  were  held  in  the  various  counties,  in  which  men 
who  had  claimed  to  be  Union  men  participated  with  the 
original  secessionists  in  passing  resolutions  “that  the  time 
had  arrived  when  the  South  should  be  a  unit  in  repelling  the 
usurpations  ot  Lincoln,”  &c.  Rebel  flags  were  being  hoisted 
and  defended  by  the  excited  volunteer  youth  of  the  country. 
Never  shall  I  forget  the  time  when,  in  my  native  little  vil¬ 
lage,  a  long  flag-pole  was  dragged  by  my  office  door  well 
guarded,  for  the  reason  it  required  a  force  to  hoist  a  rebel 
flag  in  that  place.  The  attempt  had  been  made  and  failed 
on  one  occasion  previous  to  this. 

I  was  a  quiet  looker-on,  for  I  could  do  nothing  more,  to 
use  the  language  of  another,  than  to  think  to  myself,  “Fa¬ 
ther  forgive  them,  they  know  not  what  they  do.” 

Orders  for  a  second  election  were  made  and  reached  the 
western  portion  of  the  State;  or,  at  least,  were  made  public 
only'some  four  or  live  days  previous  to  the  day  of  election. 
This  was  fatal  to  the  Union  men.  But  few  were  to  be  found 
now  who  would  face  the  music  and  become  a  candidate  in  favor 
of  the  Union.  My  name  was  announced  by  the  “straight” 
Union  men  of  the  district.  My  opponent  was  the  same 
that  had  run  on  the  Union  ticket  at  the  previous  elec¬ 
tion,  and  was  elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority  over  the 
secession  candidate ;  but  he  too  had  gone  over  to  the  rebels, 
and  carried  all  of  his  friends  who  had  not  moral  courage 
enough  to  stick  to  the  Union. 

In  attempting  to  make  the  first  political  speech  of  my 


* 


life,  I  soon  found  for  what  purpose  the  volunteer  compa¬ 
nies  were  raised.  I  had  not  proceeded  far  with  my  speech 
until  I  was  invited  from  the  stump  and  threatened  with  a 
ride  on  one  of  Lincoln’s  rails.  The  second  day  following, 
the  pretended  election  came  off.  Clerks  were  at  the  ballot- 
boxes  with  pencil  and  paper  in  hand,  taking  down  all  the 
names  of  those  who  voted  for  me,  (“the  Lincoln”  candidate,) 
with  threats  that  all  such  would  be  hung  or  shot.  At  some 
precincts  the  polls  were  guarded,  and  those  who  dared  to 
vote  for  me  were  mobbed.  Never  were  such  scenes  enacted 
in  the  mountains  of  western  North  Carolina  on  any  previ¬ 
ous  occasion  ;  guns,  pistols,  knives,  stones,  and  every  means 
possible,  were  used  to  prevent  the  people  of  western  North 
Carolina  from  showing  by  their  votes  that  they  were  a  loyal 
and  Union-loving  people.  On  the  one  side  boys  not  more' 
than  fifteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age  were  allowed  a  vote, 
whilst  Union  men  stood  aghast. 

Notwithstanding  so  many  illegal  votes  were  allowed  to  be 
cast  in  favor  of  secession,  the  State  fell  short  something  over 
forty-six  thousand  votes,  according  to  previous  elections. 
This  fall-off*  was  principally  in  the  western  part  of  the  State, 
and  this  is  another  evidence  that  the  majority  of  the  people 
in  the  mountain  counties  are,  and  have  always  been,  true  to 
the  Union.  But  the  convention  met  and  declared  the  State 
out  of  the  Union,  and  it  was  as  much  as  a  Union  man’s  life 
was  worth  to  openly  advocate  the  cause.  Something  must 
be  done,  and  I  was  looked  upon  as  the  Union  leader  in  my 
section,  and  was  applied  to  by  hundreds  for  counsel.  I  had 
to  proceed  with  much  caution,  for  some  were  constantly 
going  over  and  affiliating  with  the  rebels,  and  it  seemed  to 
me  the  very  moment  they  went  over  their  hearts  became 
corrupted.  With  the  aid  of  my  younger  brother,  who  was 
as  true  a  man  as  ever  saw  the  light  of  day,  and  some  others, 
we  formed  a  secret  Union  league,  with  certain  signs  and 
tokens  by  which  we  could  recognize  each  other,  even  if  we 
were  strangers.  My  brother  and  myself  having  relatives  in 
East  Tennessee,  we  arranged  a  kind  of  “  under-ground  rail¬ 
road”  by  which  we  could  communicate;  and  acted  in  accord¬ 
ance  to  the  circumstances  that  surrounded  us,  watching  and 
waiting,  hoping  that  East  Tennessee  would  be  relieved  by 
the  presence  of  Federal  troops.  Conscription  would  occa¬ 
sionally  make  an  inroad  upon  us,  and  this  was  evaded  in 
every  manner  possible.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1863,  my 
brother  was  notified  to  appear  before  the  conscript  board  ;  he 
notified  me  of  the  fact,  and  said  he  thought  he  would  get  off 


6 


on  tho  ground  of  inability.  Indeed  lie  was  quite  a  delicate 
man,  but  I  told  him  no  man  of  his  sentiments  would  be  ex¬ 
cused.  Said  he,  ‘-you  know  our  solemn  vows  never  to  fight 
against  the  Union.”  I  told  him  that  I  did,  and  I  did  not  in¬ 
tend  to  break  my  vow  at  any  hazard.  We  had  solemnly 
pledged  each  other  that  we  would  sacrifice  all  that  we  pos¬ 
sessed  on  earth,  and  our  lives,  sooner  than  be  forced  to  fight 
against  our  conscientious  principles.  He  went  before  the 
board  with  a  certificate  of  inability,  but  all  to  no  purpose; 
he  was  notified  to  appear  for  duty.  Never  shall  I  forget  our 
next  meeting  and  parting,  poor  fellow,  with  a  wife  and  six 
little  children  whom  be  dearly  loved.  On  parting  from  me 
in  the  road,  said  he,  “I  am  going  to  keep  my  pledge.  I  am 
going  to  Tennessee,  and  I  doubt  whether  we  shall  ever  meet 
again  in  this  world,  my  health  being  feeble,  but  I  will  do 
what  I  conceive  to  be  my  duty  before  God.”  After  some 
conditional  arrangements,  we  bid  adieu.  Never,  never  will 
I  forget  that  last  look  of  my  dear  devoted  brother.  From 
the  period  of  my  brother’s  departure,  I  was  suspicioned  and 
watched  closer  than  ever.  My  triends  would  not  confer 
with  me,  only  in  a  private  way,  for  fear  of  condemnation 
and  suspicion,  and  I  was  frequently  warned  by  them  that 
my  life  was  in  danger.  I  had  written  several  articles  over 
fictitious  signatures,  with  which  I  was  strongly  suspicioned, 
against  the  rebellion  and  certain  characters  advocating  the 
same;  finally,  I  wrote  a  long  article  preparing  the  minds  of 
the  party  for  the  designs  that  I  intended  carrying  out,  and 
had  some  six  hundred  copies  printed  secretly,  which  was 
carefully  distributed  into  the  hands  of  those  fqr  whom  they 
were  intended.  The  article  is  here  copied,  leaving  off  the 
extraneous  : 


“Multum  in  Parvo.” 

“We  were  once  a  happy  people;  yea,  happy  and  blessed. 
Let  us  pass  our  minds  back,  and  reflect  a  while  on  by-gone 
days,  to  our  childhood.  Do  you  remember  that  old  school- 
house  trail,  once  so  familiar  V  Do  you  not  in  your  mind 
hear  the  warble  of  those  sweet  birds  on  your  way  to  and  fro  ? 
Do  you  not  remember  those  sweet  faces,  those  happy  school¬ 
mates?  Don’t  vou  recollect,  when  returning  home,  the 
cheerful  song  and  whistle  of  the  plowman?  Cast  your  eye 
down  to  yonder  meadow,  hill-side,  or  some  other  place,  and 
near  by  don’t  you  see  that  milk  maid,  perhaps  your  sister? 
Don’t  you  hear  that  sweet  happy  voice,  as  she  mingles  her 


I 


tuneful  powers  with  those  around  to  add  to  the  happiness  of 
your  peaceful  home?  Don’t  you  see  your  brothers,  your 
father,  as  the  case  may  be,  coming  from  the  farm,  the  shop, 
or  the  counting-room  ?  What  cheerful  faces  !  Perhaps  they 
are  tired  and  care-worn  ;  but  they  are  cheerful ;  I  can  see  a 
fixedness  in  their  countenances,  looking  to  the  future  paving 
out  a  way  for  our  comfort  and  welfare.  We  take  a  little 
larger  scope,  and  see  yonder  our  good  neighbor  enlarging 
his  farm ;  another  building  a  new  house ;  over  the  way  a 
little,  our  neighbors  are  engaged  in  erecting  a  neat  church 
*  or  school  house;  in  one  direction  and  in  another  lives  an 
uncle  or  cousin,  or  neighbor  so-and-so;  some  of  them  are 
wealthy  and  prosperous.  Let  us  still  enlarge  our  view,  and 
go  from  county  to  county,  from  State  to  State,  and  happiness 
and  prosperity  meet  us  every  where  throughout  our  broad 
land;  and  with  all  how  free  we  were  to  visit  and  associate 
throughout  the  whole  boundary  of  the  United  States  and 
Territories.  No  wonder  we  prospered  as  a  nation.  No 
wonder  that  we  prided  ourselves  in  the  best  government 
‘the  world  ever  saw.’ 

“Alas,  civil  war  is  stalking  abroad  in  this  our  beloved 
country.  Devastation,  misery,  and  confusion  have  come  upon 
us,  and  we  must  face  the  fact. 

“  The  writer  will  deal  in  facts,  and  proceed  at  once  to  call 
the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  war  in  which  we  are  now 
involved,  and  will  first  speak  of  the  cause,  &c. 

“  The  first  cause  of  this  great  national  strife  originated  j 
with  men  and  measures  that  were  unfriendly  to  republican¬ 
ism  ;  that  were  opposed  to  a  democratic  form  of  government. 
Don’t  be  startled  until  you  examine  the  evidence  and  facts 
brought  forth  ;  that  will  prove  beyond  a  doubt  what  is  here 
asserted.  It  is  useless  to  carry  the  mind  back  to  the  Revolu¬ 
tion,  in  order  to  prove  that  there  was  a  revolution ;  but  per¬ 
haps  it  is  necessary  to  call  to  mind  that  there  was  a  cause , 
and  a  just  cause,  for  the  Revolution  of  our  fathers;  and  I  can 
only  refer  the  reader  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
for  those  just  reasons  for  throwing  off*  the  yoke  of  bondage. 

“It  is  well  known  to  all  Americans  that  in  the  struggle  of 
our  fathers  for  independence,  that  there  were  Tories;  men 
who  were  opposed  to  American  independence;  many,  per¬ 
haps,  were  honest  in  regard  to  their  preference  for  the  king 
and  the  rule  of  the  mother  country. 

“South  Carolina  by  far  held  more  of  these  Tories  than 
any  other  State,  and  in  the  adoption  of  the  Articles  of  Con¬ 
federation  her  convention  tied  on  the  vote — one  half  for 


8 


King  George;  but  finally  with  groat  rein ctance  this  State 
pledged  her  faith  to  the  United  States,  and  became  a  pros¬ 
perous  and  wealthy  State;  but  the  seeds  of  disaffection  were 
not  lost.  In  1832  she  attempted  to  nullify  the  Constitution, 
but  the  taint  had  not  got  sufficient  hold  on  the  masses  of 
the  people:  it  was  plain,  open  rebellion,  and  we  had  a  Presi¬ 
dent  who  knew  how  to  deal  with  traitors;  his  watch-word 
was,  ‘This  Union  shall  be  maintained  at  all  hazards.’ 

“  The  disapprobation  of  the  people  and  the  promptness  of 
the  Administration  gave  nullification  such  a  rebuke,  that  it 
dared  never  again  to  appear  until  it  assumed  the  false  colors, 
of  secession  coupled  with  States  rights.  The  spirit  of  rebel¬ 
lion  was  kept  animated  and  fed  by  circumstances  as  they 
occurred,  and  the  fire  eaters  of  the  South  labored  hard  to 
prejudice  the  minds  of  thjs  people.  The  press,  instead  of 
trying  to  bind  up,  were  sowing  the  seeds  of  strife  by  making 
appeals  to  the  people  not  to  read  northern  papers,  not  to 
read  northern  literature;  in  short  everything  that  could  be, 
was  done  to  alienate  the  sections. 

“The  Missouri  compromise  line  having  been  obliterated  by 
Congress,  and  opened  a  road  for  the  disunionists,  on  which 
they  traveled  quite  successfully,  with  the  aid  of  James  Bu¬ 
chanan,  in  the  Kansas  affair.  It  was  during  President  Bu¬ 
chanan’s  term  that  the  disorganizers  added  to  their  former 
corruptions  the  plans  through  which  to  disrupt  the  Govern¬ 
ment,  and  he  (Buchanan)  was  either  wilfully  corrupt,  or  so 
weak  that  he  would  or  could  not  discharge  the  sworn  duties 
of  his  office.  It  was  during  this  Administration  that  it  be¬ 
came  necessary  to  hold  the  noted  Covode  investigation,  which 
filled  quite  a  large  volume,  and  which  but  few  men  South 
ever  saw.  It  was  during  this  term  Secretary  Floyd  had  the 
Government  arms  removed  south,  thereby  endeavoring  to 
rob  the  Government  of  the  means  to  maintain  itself  in  case 
of  an  out-break  at  the  South,  which  was  intended  and  which 
said  Secretary  Floyd  was  known  to.  It  was  during  this 
term  that  a  secret  organization  was  formed,  its  object  being 
to  overthrow  the  Government.  It  was  during  this  memora¬ 
ble  Administration  that  members  of  Congress,  governors  of 
States,  and  many  other  office-holders,  could  violate  a  sacred 
oath  which  was  taken  to  maintain  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States.  It  was  during  this  term  that  the  noted 
Charleston  Democratic  Convention  was  held,  in  which  that 
patriotic  statesman,  Steven  A.  Douglas,  was  sacrificed,  and 
arrangements  made  by  which  three  candidates  were  placed 
in  the  field  from  the  South,  so  as  to  make  sure  the  election 


9 


of  the  Republican  candidate,  and  thereby  make  a  pretext  to 
tire  the  hearts  of  the  southern  people.  The  secession  party, 
or  wing  of  this  convention,  did  not  go  there  with  the  inten¬ 
tion  of  being  governed  by  the  majority.  They  went  there 
with  treachery  in  their  hearts;  treacherous  to  their  party; 
traitors  to  the  Government  ;  treacherous  to  the  principles  of 
liberty.  This  minority  draws  off,  or  as  they  say,  seceded, 
and  meets  in  Baltimore,  and  nominates  Mr.  Breckinridge, 
having  no  doubt  a  previous  understanding  with  him  that 
he  would  accept  the  nomination.  The  secessionists  now 
had  things  just  as  they  desired  so  far,  for  they  well  knew 
that  the  Republican  party  would  have  their  candidate,  and 
would  be  almost  certain  to  carry  the  election  according  to 
the  provisions  of  the  Constitution.  Now  I  here  make  the 
assertion,  and  no  intelligent  mind  can  help  being  convinced 
of  its  truth,  that  this  very  influence,  used  by  the  secession 
party  knowingly,  purposely  and  premeditatedly,  aided  in 
the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  .Surely  they  should  have  given 
him  a  fair  trial  after  being  instrumental  in  electing  him  the 
constitutional  and  lawful  president  of  the  United  States. 
In  view  of  these  facts,  the  Union  men  of  western  North 
Carolina  pledged  themselves,  if  Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected, 
they  would  sustain  him.  His  election  was  announced,  and  f 
immediately  the  howl  came  up  from  all  the  cotton  regions, 

4  nigger ,  nigger ,  nigger ,’  as  though  the  salvation  of  the  whole 
world  depended  upon  the  negro  and  slavery. 

“The  period  for  inauguration  arrives;  Mr.  Lincoln  takes 
the  oath  and  issues  his  address  to  the  people,  expressing 
hopes  for  peace  and  quiet,  declaring  his  intention  to  admin¬ 
ister  the  Government  according  to  the  Constitution,  and  dis¬ 
avowing  any  intention  of  interfering  with  the  institutions  of 
any  of  the  States,  &c. 

“In  the  face  of  all  this,  petulant  South  Carolina  strikes  the 
fatal  blow  to  slavery  by  tiring  into  the  flag  of  her  country. 
This  step  forced  the  President,  according  to  the  oath  that 
he  had  taken,  to  take  measures  to  put  down  the  rebellion 
and  protect  the  Government  property. 

“The  cry  of  the  secessionists  at  this  juncture  was  ‘no 
coercion,  no  coercion,’  and  plying  the  question  to  Union  men, 

•  If  North  Carolina  is  called  upon  for  men,  are  you  going  to 
flght  for  Lincoln  or  for  the  South  V  and  very  many  commit¬ 
ted  themselves  one  way  or  the  other  before  they  knew  what 
they  were  doing. 

“Time  passed  on  and  North  Carolina,  about  the  last  State, 
was  declared  out  of  the  Union ;  and  how  has  she  been 
2 


10 


dragged  out?  Fellow-citizens  of  the  free  and  blue  moun¬ 
tains  of  western  North  Carolina  follow  me,  and  I  will  lay 
the  truth  naked  before  you,  and  you  will  be  the  witnesses  to 
the  facts. 

“At  the  first  election,  we  of  the  western  portion  of  the 
State  voted  secession  down  by  an  overwhelming  majority, 
which  carried  the  State  by  a  large  majority.  After  which 
armies  were  raised ;  vigilant  committees  appointed  throughout 
the  country;  a  system  of  espionage  kept  up;  the  post  offices 
and  mails  usurped;  some  barn,  stable,  or  other  old  house  has 
been  fired;  the  howl  is  raised;  some  poor,  friendless  Union 
man  perhaps  arraigned,  and  rumors  of  the  most  startling 
character  on  the  wing.  In  the  meantime  certain  characters 
were  going  through  the  country  preaching  that  cotton  was 
king;  that  the  Yankees  were  a  nation  of  thieves,  and  would 
seize  our  lands,  ravish  our  waves  and  daughters.  We  were 
told  that  one  southern  man  could  whip  five  Yankees  ;  that 
they  were  a  set  of  cowards.  We  were  told  that  secession 
>  would  be  peaceable  ;  and  certain  of  these  characters  said 
they  would  drink  all  the  blood  that  was  spilt,  or  wipe  it  up 
with  their  pocket  handkerchiefs.  The  last  was  a  promise 
made  by  Jeff.  Davis  in  a  speech  made  at  Memphis,  Tennes¬ 
see.  Peaceable  secession  and  reconstruction  were  the  great 
arguments  used  in  western  North  Carolina  with  the  non¬ 
slaveholders.  There  was  policy  in  this,  there  being  but 
comparatively  few  slaveholders  in  the  mountain  district. 
The  argument  used  with  the  slaveholders  was  1  eternal  sep¬ 
aration  ;’  an  independent  government,  with  slavery  for  its 
chief  corner-stone. 

“The  mouths  of  the  Union  men  now  almost  completely 
gagged;  an  election  was  ordered  the  second  time — only7  a  few 
days’  notice,  and  no  discussion  allowed.  Thus  doubly7  pre¬ 
pared,  the  farce  of  an  election  was  held,  and  notwithstand¬ 
ing  the  result  was  heralded  forth  as  a  great  triumph,  there 
was  but  little  over  half  the  usual  vote  of  the  State,  while 
thousands  of  illegal  votes  were  cast. 

“  The  politicians  had  now  almost  become  fully  initiated 
particularly  the  democratic  party,  into  this  damnable  heresy 
of  secession.  The  rebel  leaders  at  Washington,  one  after 
another,  came  home  much  better  prepared  to  carry  out  their 
villainous  purposes.  They  know  how  to  work  the  wires,  for 
they  have  been  practicing  for  these  many  years.  They  had 
excited  the  people  on  the  slave  question  in  Congress  and  at 
home,  in  order  to  prepare  them  for  secession, "and  taught 
the  people  that  they  were  imposed  upon  by  unequal  tariffs, 


11 


and  that  separation  was  the  only  hope  for  their  salvation; 
di  sgraced  themselves  by  an  effort  to  mob  their  superiors 
within  the  halls  of  the  Capitol.  The  fact  is,  these  fire-eaters 
went  there  with  treason  in  their  hearts.  It  was  a  settled 
and  fixed  policy  with  them  to  disrupt  the  Government  they 
had  corrupted,  and  were  acting  in  the  capacity  of  spies  and 
traitors  at  the  same  time,  with  the  hope  that  the  Union 
would  be  divided  peaceably,  as  they  had  persuaded  the  peo¬ 
ple  would  be  done  if  they  would  secede. 

“  The  rebellion  has  been  going  on  nearly  two  years,  and  we  ) 
are  told  that  England  will  soon  raise  the  blockade;  that 
France  would  soon  acknowledge  the  independence  of  the 
South  ;  while  many  openly  avow  that  they  would  prefer  to 
live  under  the  crown  of  England  or  France,  rather  than  be 
united  with  the  North  again  ;  that  republican  governments 
had  proved  a  failure,  &c.  This  unveils  the  real  objects  of 
these  would-be  tyrants.  Rise,  dust  of  Washington,  Marion 
and  Jackson,  and  rebuke  the  traitors  ! 

“  See  Life  of  General  Francis  Marion,  pp.  245-246  : 

“‘In  short,  rny  dear  sir,  men  will  always  fight  for  their 
government  according  to  their  sense  of  its  value.  To  value 
it  aright  they  must  understand  it;  they  cannot  do  without 
education,  and  a  large  portion  of  the  citizens  are  poor,  and 
can  never  attain  that  inestimable  blessing  without  the  aid  of 
Government;  it  is  plainly  the  first  duty  of  Government  to 
bestow  it  freely  upon  them  ;  and  the  more  perfect  the  gov¬ 
ernment  the  greater  the  duty  to  make  it  known.  Selfish 
and  oppressive  governments,  indeed,  as  Christ  observes, 
must  “hate  the  light  and  fear  to  come  to  it,  because  their 
deeds  are  evil.”  But  a  fair  and  cheap  government  like  our 
Republic,  “longs  for  the  light  and  rejoices  to  come  to  the 
light,  that  it  may  be  manifested  of  God,”  and  well  worth  all 
the  vigilance  and  valor  that  an  enlightened  nation  can  rally 
for  its  defence.  And  God  knows  a  good  government  can 
hardly  ever  be  half  anxious  enough  to  give  its  citizens  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  its  own  excellences.  For  as  some 
of  the  most  valuable  truths  for  lack  of  careful  promulgation 
have  been  lost,  so  the  best  governments  on  earth,  if  not  duly 
known  and  prized,  may  be  subverted.  Ambitious  dema¬ 
gogues  will  rise,  and  the  people,  through  ignorance  and  love 
of  change ,  will  follow  them;  vast  armies  will  be  formed  and 
bloody  battles  fought,  and  after  desolating  their  country 
with  all  the  horrors  of  civil  war,  the  guilty  survivors  will 
have  to  bend  their  necks  to  the  iron  yoke  of  some  stern 


12 


/ 


usurper,  and  like  beasts  of  burden  drag  unpitied  those  gall¬ 
ing  chains  which  they  have  riveted  upon  themselves  forever.’ 

44 If  it  were  possible  for  the  instigators  to  succeed  in  this 
rebellion,  and  become  separate  and  independent  of  the 
North,  another  revolution  would  follow  just  as  certain  as 
night  follows  day.  The  existence  of  the  principle  of  liberty 
and  of  equal  rights  is  4  inalienable  and  inherent  in  the  very 
nature  of  man,  and  therefore  can  no  more  be  destroyed  than 
hunger  or  love  that  a  purely  republican  form  of  govern¬ 
ment  is  the  only  one  adapted  to  the  nature  of  man,  and  the 
011I37  one  calculated  to  secure  universal  satisfaction  and  hap- 
Pi  ness,  and  the  subjugation  of  man  by  his  fellow-man  is  an 
open  violation  of  the  principles  of  human  nature.  If  the 
leaders  who  were  the  cause  of  our  national  troubles  had  only 
proceeded  upon  this  principle,  subjugation  and  suffering  in 
its  many  forms  in  our  land,  would  not  now  have  existed. 
By  creating  every  man  free  to  choose  or  refuse  good 
and  evil,  God  allows  every  man  to  govern  himself,  and 
surely  then  men  ought  to  allow  one  another  to  govern 
themselves;  subject,  however,  to  the  constitution  and  laws 
of  their  country,  as  they  are  to  the  law7  of  God  4  rewarded 
according  to  their  deeds.’  There  is  no  danger  that  this 
pri  nciple  will  ever  be  extinguished  ;  but  in  case  the  subju¬ 
gation  and  servitude  of  man,  in  any  form,  should  be  carried 
to  a  very  great  length,  there  is  danger,  indeed  a  moral  cer¬ 
tainty,  of  a  revolution;  and  a  revolution  too,  violent  in  pro¬ 
portion  to  the  means  that  may  bring  it  about.  4  Slowly  but 
surely,  as  if  it  were  in  the  insinuating  yet  resistless  folds  of  the 
boa  constrictor,  is  this  serpentine  aristocracy  subduing  and 
subjugating  by  piece-meal  the  virtuous  and  the  talented  poor 
ot  our  country.’  But  there  is  scarcely  a  possibility  of  a  des¬ 
potic  form  of  government  in  this  country.  No,  thanks  to 
the  great  Author  of  our  being,  man’s  nature  is  unalterable; 
the  spirit  of  seventy-six  and  the  love  of  liberty  will  live  and 
will  increase ,  and  woe  be  to  the  man  or  set  of  men  that  ride 


over  it.  The  great  doctrine  of  human  rights,  of  liberty,  of 
free  government,  of  4 independence,’  wi  1 1  live  and  spread, 
and  root  up  and  trample  down  every  vestige  of  tyranny,  of 
aristocracy  and  forcible  servitude. 

“To-day,  if  all  restraint  were  thrown  off  and  the  people  of 
western  North  Carolina  could  have  an  untrammeled  vote, 
they  would  cast  a  large  majority  for  the  Union  of  our  fathers, 
notwithstanding  the  false  assertions  daily  sent  out  that  the 
South  is  a  unit.  Maryland,  (My  Maryland ,)  Kentucky, 
Missouri,  northern  Virginia,  East  Tennessee,  and  western 


1 


Q 

o 


North  Carolina,  these  States  and  parts  of  States  have  not 
suffered  themselves,  as  strong  as  the  current  is,  to  be  alto¬ 
gether  drawn  into  this  maelstrom  of  secession.  Add  the 
mountain  portions  of  Georgia  and  Alabama  which  were 
coerced  by  those  non-coercionists  to  that  portion  just  named, 
and  let  us  make  the  contrast  between  these  and  the  remain¬ 
ing  portions  of  the  South.  The  first  named  had  a  better 
system  of  general  education  ;  more  equality  in  society;  more 
general  intelligence  and  common  practical  sense;  fewer  very 
wealthy,  but  more  frank,  open  and  honest  men,  as  a  general 
thing  betterposted  in  governmental  affairs;  better  acquainted 
with  ethics  and  less  with  etiquette.  It  is  clear  that  the 
South  is  divided  within  herself.  4  A  house  divided  against 
itself  cannot  stand.’ 

“There  are  now  thousands  who  have  been  forced  into  the 
army,  who  do  not  believe  the  cause  of  the  South  is  just  any 
more  than  myself,  and  thousands  more  if  the  veil  of  disguise 
was  thrown  off  would  be  of  the  same  opinion.  4  Oh  !  but,’ 
says  one,  4 if  the  Constitution  had  been  carried  out,  we  would 
not  fight  at  all ; '  but  every  body  ought  to  know  the  rebellion 
was  got  up  on  the  false  pretext  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  going 
to  violate  it ;  and  all  should  know  if  the  instigators  had  loved 
the  Constitution  better  than  secession,  even  had  it  been  vio¬ 
lated,  they  would  have  fought  for  it.  The  fact  stares  every 
one  in  the  face,  that  treason  began  before  Mr.  Lincoln  had 
any  power,  had  he  desired  such  a  thing,  and  that  these  cotton 
lords  of  creation,  who  own  fifty,  a  hundred,  or  perhaps  five 
hundred  slaves,  look  upon  a  white  man  who  has  to  labor  for 
an  honest  living  as  no  better  than  one  of  their  negroes. 
Hence  such  epithets  as  4  old  Abe,  the  rail  splitter,’  &c.,  as 
though  splitting  rails  was  a  disgrace,  and  as  though  some  of 
the  best  men  that  ever  graced  the  halls  of  the  Capitol  had 
not  split  rails.  But  says  one,  4  this  aristocracy  possess  much 
learning  and  are  highly  educated.’  True,  many  of  them  are. 
But  what  is  education  without  common  sense  and  justice. 
The  fact  is,  these  bombastic ,  hiahfalutin,  aristocratic  fools  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  driving  negroes  and  poor  helpless  white 
people  until  they  think  they  can  controj  the  world  of  man¬ 
kind.  This  nature  is  bred  in  them,  and  they  are  taught  to 
think  that  cotton  is  king;  that  they  themselves  are  superior; 
to  hate,  deride  and  suspicion  the  poor.  This  is  education 
perverted.f  The  people  of  South  Carolina  boast  that  they 
are  wealthier  according  to  white  population  than  any  other 
State.  If  so,  what  does  it  consist  of?  And  if  she  has  been 
more  prosperous  and  gained  more  wealth  than  any  of  the 


14 


other  States,  wherein  did  the  Government  oppress  her  more 
than  others?  and  why  was  she,  above  all  others,  for  breaking 
up  and  destroying  the  very  Government  under  whose  foster¬ 
ing  care  she  had  obtained  this  wealth  ?  Simply  because  she 
imbibed  the  false  teachings  of  Calhoun,  and  here  is  the 
bottom  of  the  whole  thing.  It  was  well  said,  4  let  Calhoun 
take  a  pinch  of  snuff  and  the  whole  State  would  sneeze.’ 

,  The  South  has  thrown  off  the  best  guarantee  she  will  ever 
have  again  for  the  protection  of  slavery — the  Constitution 
and  the  Union — mark  the  prediction!  This  rebellion  has 
done  the  cause  of  slavery  more  injury  than  any  thing  else 
could  have  done.  It  is  causing  the  non-slaveholder  of  the 
South  to  think.  Men  have  brains  and  they  will  act. 

“  What  has  been  and  is  to  be  gained  by  continuing  the 
rebellion?  Thousands  of  suffering  widows  and  orphans 
friendless,  except  their  God;  millions  of  confederate  notes 
and  shinplasters  which  ‘promise  to  pay,’  which  secessionists 
can  refuse  with  impunity,  but  which  Union  men  must  take 
or  be  mobbed  ;  a  host  of  speculators  who  would  steal  the 
‘pewter  off  of  a  dead  negro’s  cane;’  a  mock  government 
through  conscription  ;  a  country  going  to  waste  as  fast  as 
time  can  move;  large  armies  and  brave  men,  but  a  bad 
cause;  a  host  of  politicians  and  smart  men,  and  but  few 
statesmen  and  honest  ones ;  gags  for  the  mouths  of  our 
wisest  and  best  men  ;  brambles  and  briers  where  corn  ought 
to  grow;  a  mock  Congress  to  pass  conscript,  tythe,  and 
other  odious  laws,  and  military  detailed  mobs  to  enforce 
them  ;  military  officers  who  shoot  boys  and  hang  and  whip 
women  without  trial ;  more  lunatics  than  our  asylums  will 
hold.  What  else?  Fort  Sumter,  and  treason  by  firing 
upon  it;  a  different  flag  from  the  one  our  fathers  fought 
under;  millions  of  enemies  who  were  once  friends.  And 
now  what  has  the  South  lost?  The  respect  of  the  civilized 
world;  thousands  of  her  deluded  young  men;  commercial 
intercourse  with  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  a  good  and  reli¬ 
able  currency;  and  we  have  well  nigh  lost  our  liberties;  but 
thanks  to  God  we  have  not  lost  the  love  of  liberty,  nor  the 
principles  of  a  free  and  republican  government.  ‘But,’ 
says  some  sprig,  ‘liberty  is  what  we  are  fighting  for.’ 
Liberty  to  do  what?  ‘  Why  the  liberty  of  peaceable  secession .’ 
The  devil  had  the  liberty  to  secede,  but  he  had  to  take  quar¬ 
ters  in  a  different  clime,  no  doubt  where  the  most  of  the 
instigators  of  this  suicidal  war  will  land  in  the  end.  Talk 
about  liberty !  Who  could  desire  more  liberty  than  we,  as 
a  race,  enjoyed,  civilly,  religiously,  commercially,  or  in 


15 


any  sense  whatever?  The  truth  is  the  liberty  of  the  ballot- 
box  was  just  what  the  instigators  of  the  foul  plot  to  break 
up  the  Union  were  afraid  of.  They  were  not  willing  even 
to  risk  the  people  of  North  Carolina  with  the  privilege  of 
ratifying  or  rejecting  the  ordinance  of  secession  that  pre¬ 
tended  to  carry  them  out  of  the  Union. 

“  Justice  awaits  the  leaders  at  the  hands  of  an  outraged 
people.  The  cries  of  innocent  women  and  children  have 
ascended.  The  sacrifice  of  the  blood  of  the  youth  of  the 
honest  poor  of  the  country  will  soon  make  its  appeal  in 
despite  of  Jeff.  Davis  and  cabinet.  Our  brothers  and  sons 
are  being  forced  against  their  wills  and  consciences  into  a 
a  cause  against  the  best  interests  of  mankind,  to  be  shot  on 
the  field  of  civil  strife. 

‘  To  the  unhappy  that  unjustly  bleed, 

Heaven  gives  posterity  to  avenge  the  deed.’ 

“AYe  advise  you  to  take  warning  and  put  a  stop  to  this 
wholesale  murder.  4  There  is  a  point  beyond  which  for¬ 
bearance  ceases  to  be  a  virtue.’  Those  whom  you  brand  as 
cowards  are  being  inspired  with  a  courage  that  will  put  your 
rebel  chivalry  and  boasting  to  shame.  You  who  are  clamor¬ 
ing  for  war  will  soon  realize  what  war  means.  Though  the 
writer  of  this,  with  thousands  of  others,  may  fall  with  the 
wreck,  the  spirit  of  our  forefathers  and  the  old  Government 
will  live  and  be  maintained.  This  spirit,  notwithstanding 
all  that  has  been  done  and  said,  is  in  the  hearts  of  the  people 
of  western  Carolina,  and  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  remain 
neutral.  The  leaders  have  made  laws  that  excuse  none  but 
the  large  slaveholder  and  a  few  favorites  in  office.  I  know 
that  it  is  claimed  as  a  military  necessity.  Just  so  ;  no  ty¬ 
rannical  act  was  ever  palmed  off  on  a  people  without  a  pre¬ 
text.  The  chains  have  been  forged  for  some  time,  and  now 
they  are  being  fastened  upon  us  inch  by  inch,  step  by  step. 
Freemen  of  the  blue  mountains  of  western  North  Carolina 
are  you  willing  to  hold  on  and  support  a  government  that 
you  never  wanted,  and  cannot  maintain  itself  without  mak¬ 
ing  worse  than  slaves  of  you  ?  Has  ever  a  people  lost  their 
liberties  without  just  such  pretexts,  stratagems,  and  decep¬ 
tions  first  having  been  palmed  oft*  upon  them?  Just  think 
of  a  government  which,  if  successful,  will  have  a  border  to 
defend  that  will  keep  all  the  young  men  of  the  common 
class  of  society  in  arms  from  one  generation  to  another,  and 
their  parents  paying  government  rent  from  their  own  farms 
to  feed  them  on.  Think  of  the  condition  that  your  wives, 
daughters,  and  sisters  would  be  placed  under.  0,  my  country- 


16 


men,  let  ns  ponder  well  the  admonitions  and  warnings  of 
Washington,  Webster,  Clay,  and  others  of  our  fathers.  Have 
we  not  seen  enough  to  convince  us  where  we  are  being 
driven  to  ?  Have  the  people  realized  any  of  the  promises 
made  to  them  if  they  would  secede  and  rebel  against  the 
best  government  on  earth  ?  Hot  one  single  item  in  the 
whole  catalogue  of  promises  has  been  realized,  and  never 
f  will.  Then  shall  we  pursue  further  the  certain  destruction 
of  all  hope  of  future  happiness  and  liberty  for  ourselves  and 
our  posterity,  for  the  aggrandizement  of  rotten  and  corrupt 
leaders?  Arouse!  Arouse!  my  countrymen.  Where  there 
is  a  will  there  is  a  way. 

u  “  A  SOUTHERN  CITIZEN. 

“  April,  1863.” 

This  address  found  its  way  into  the  hands  of  many  of  the 
leading  Union  men  throughout  the  western  counties,  and 
into  some  portions  of  East  Tennessee.  The  Union  men 
throughout  the  mountain  district  formed  themselves  into 
companies,  squads  and  bands,  in  order  to  protect  themselves 
from  conscription ;  and  many  who  had  been  forced  into  the 
army  found  their  way  back  and  joined  them. 

A  crisis  had  now  arrived  among  the  Union  men.  The 
details  and  militia  were  hunting  them  down,  though  the 
great  body  of  the  militia  were  Union  men,  and  often  aided 
the  party;  but  the  details — as  a  general  thing,  the  worst  men 
in  or  out  of  the  army — were  scouring  the  country,  and  often 
shooting  their  prisoners  without  a  trial.  Something  had  to 
be  done.  The  Union  men  looked  upon  me  as  their  leader 
in  that  section,  and  of  this  I  was  strongly  suspected  by  the 
rebels.  My  movements  were  closely  watched. 

A  kind  of  council  among  the  Union  men  was  called;  a 
time  appointed  to  meet  at  some  point  in  my  county.  The 
day  arrived,  and  the  sheriff,  for  a  blind,  made  some  business 
with  me  and  conducted  me  to  the  appointed  place,  in  the 
woods  of  course.  Here  I  was  met  by  many  of  the  best  citi¬ 
zens  of  the  country  and  some  eighty  conscripts,  partly 
armed. 

I  was  informed  that  a  speech  and  my  counsel  in  this  great 
emergency  were  desired  by  the  assemblage.  I  proceeded 
with  much  caution  to  give  them  a  talk,  and  advised  them  to 
be  very  careful  how  they  conducted  themselves  ;  that  it  was 
impossible  to  remain  neutral,  and  without  arms  and  ammu¬ 
nition  we  could  not  defend  ourselves  in  the  country,  but 
that  I  would  suffer  my  tongue  to  be  torn  out  by  the  roots, 


' 


IT 


sooner  than  advise  them  to  fight  against  the  Union,  &c.;  to 
keep  out  of  the  way  and  advise  with  their  friends.  I  im¬ 
plored  them  not  to  commit  any  depredations  on  the  com¬ 
munity;  that  it  would  injure  the  cause  and  endanger  their 
friends.  An  arrangement  was  made  for  a  subsequent  meet¬ 
ing  of  the  most  trusty  Union  men  in  the  country.  We  were 
waiting  and  watching  for  East  Tennessee  to  be  relieved. 
The  indications  through  the  underground  railroad  of  this 
event  were  now  quite  favorable,  according  to  report. 

The  reports  that  had  now  got  into  circulation  in  regard  to 
my  written  address,  and  the  meeting  in  the  woods,  gave  my 
family  much  uneasiness.  My  life  was  daily  threatened.  The 
time  for  the  special  meeting  had  now  arrived,  and  it  was 
composed  of  some  of  the  best  citizens  of  the  country.  I 
was  delegated  to  Tennessee.  This  met  the  approbation  of 
my  be3t  friends  and  was  sanctioned  by  my  family,  believing 
that  my  life  was  in  great  peril. 

I  left  my  home  and  family  (Hendersonville,  N.  C.)  the  last 
day  of  August,  1863 ;  made  my  way  on  horse  back  through 
the  mountains  to  East  Tennessee  without  much  difficulty. 
On  the  way  I  received  a  letter  informing  me  that  my  brother 
with  others  had  gone  to  Kentucky.  After  remaining  with 
Union  friends  and  connections  in  Cocke  county,  Tennessee, 
a  few  days,  and  learning  all  that  I  could  pertaining  to  my 
object — the  Federal  troops  were  now  taking  possession  of 
East  Tennessee — on  my  way  to  Knoxville  I  met  with  Judge 
Patterson  of  Greenville,  Tennessee,  who  introduced  me  to 
Colonel  Foster.  Arrived  at  Knoxville  about  the  10th  Sep¬ 
tember;  reported  to  Generals  Carter  and  Burnside,  and  was 
surprised  to  learn  from  them  that  they  knew  all  about  my 
I  principles.  I  gave  them  all  the  points  and  information,  so 
far  as  I  could,  in  regard  to  western  North  Carolina.  Here 
I  learned  from  a  soldier  (a  relative)  that  my  brother  was 
quite  unwell,  but  expected  to  return  to  East  Tennessee  im¬ 
mediately  ;  and  I  determined  to  return  to  Cocke  county  and 
await  my  brother.  Before  leaving  I  was  presented  with  au¬ 
thority,  signed  by  Generals  Samuel  Carter  and  A.  E.  Burn¬ 
side,  to  raise  a  regiment  of  loyal  North  Carolina  volunteers. 
This,  no  doubt,  was  done  at  the  instance  of  my  friends,  and 
I  knew  that  I  could  raise  the  men. 

On  my  return  to  Cocke  county,  which  joins  North  Caro¬ 
lina,  I  found  several  of  my  neighbors,  who  had  followed  me 
according  to  previous  arrangement.  I  dispatched  several 
of  them  with  authority  to  recruit  and  carry  out  the  plans 
now  set  on  foot.  My  object  was  to  get  out  as  many  men  as 
3 


18 


possible  and  get  them  organized;  and  induce  the  authorities, 
if  possible,  to  let  us  return  with  a  sufficient  force  to  hold 
the  country,  and  thereby  give  the  down-trodden  people  of 
my  section  relief ;  but  my  zeal  was  too  great ;  I  was  too  ven¬ 
turesome.  Desirous  to  give  my  family  information  of  my 
movements,  and  to  get  my  clothes  and  a  lot  of  bank  bills, 
in  order  to  liquidate  some  debts  in  Baltimore,  a  brave  lad, 
Bussell  Jones,  volunteered  his  services  at  my  suggestion  to 
make  the  trip  some  seventy  miles  through  the  mountains. 
He  was  mounted,  set  out  with  proper  instructions,  &c.,  and 
succeeded  in  getting  through  all  right;  but  was  arrested  on 
his  return  with  about  two  thousand  dollars  bank  bills  and 
my  best  clothes.  While  this  was  going  on  I  went  to  Green¬ 
ville,  Tennessee,  and  pretty  well  completed  my  arrange¬ 
ments  in  getting  the  men  out;  then  returned  to  Cocke 
county,  where  I  learned,  from  a  party  of  my  men  who  had 
come  through,  the  circumstances  just  related  in  regard  to 
the  arrest  of  the  lad,  &c.  I  at  once  proceeded  to  Mr.  Camp¬ 
bell’s,  where  I  had  left  a  squad  of  men  to  guard,  or  rather 
watch,  a  pass  in  the  mountain,  and  had  they  discharged  their 
duty,  all  would  have  been  well.  This  was  on  the  Tennessee 
side,  within  the  Federal  lines.  An  infamous  scoundrel  had 
betrayed  the  men.  Here  I  met  with  Mr.  Vol.  Jackson,  who 
had  fled  from  Tennessee  on  the  approach  of  the  Federal 
army.  My  suspicions  were  aroused ;  but  knowing  that  I  had 
charged  the  men  to  keep  out  a  watch  and  give  the  alarm 
should  anything  occur,  I  felt  secure.  Mr.  Jackson  claimed 
to  be  my  friend;  said  he  came  to  see  me  in  regard  to  get¬ 
ting  the  lad  out  of  jail.  I  asked  what  his  instructions  were. 
He  said  he  had  no  particular  instructions  ;  that  I  had  better 
write.  I  addressed  a  letter  to  the  authorities  at  Asheville, 
stating  that  my  business  was  legitimate;  that  I  had  no  de¬ 
sire  to  hurt  any  North  Carolinian,  and  to  release  the  boy 
and  send  my  property.  If  you  will  not  send  my  money,  as 
it  is  but  trash  in  comparison,  release  the  boy;  he  is  but  a 
child  and  his  friends  much  excited  in  regard  to  him,  &c. 
Mr.  Jackson  took  the  letter  and  left  immediately.  I  inquired 
if  the  pickets  were  at  their  posts  on  the  mountains.  “0,  yes ! 
all  right!”  and  in  a  moment  the  report  of  fire-arms  came 
from  every  direction.  Mr.  Campbell,  Charles  Jones  and 
myself,  ran  out  of  the  house,  but  were  completely  sur¬ 
rounded.  Every  man  was  captured  but  one,  and  he  made 
his  escape  through  a  shower  of  lead — one  man  severely 
wounded  in  the  head.  How  they  succeeded  in  getting  there 
without  alarm  I  have  yet  to  learn — rather  suspect,  from  what 


19 


I  have  heard,  a  woman  or  two  decoyed  the  pickets.  I  man¬ 
aged  to  throw  my  commission  under  a  log ;  whether  they 
found  it  or  not  I  have  never  been  able  to  learn. 

I  surrendered  as  a  prisoner  of  war  and  asked  to  he  treated 
as  such,  and  appealed  to  some  of  the  party  who  knew  me 
well,  but  to  no  purpose.  After  divesting  me  of  every  cent 
of  money,  and  even  my  pocket  knife,  we  were  then  drawn 
up  in  a  line,  and  Mr.  Campbell  and  myself  bound  together 
with  a  cord  made  of  split  wood.  Soon  after  Mr.  Campbell 
was  released  from  the  cord,  and  I  alone  bore  the  fetter  to 
Asheville  jail.  Here  I  was  incarcerated,  within  six  miles  of 
where  I  was  born  and  brought  up.  I  could  see  the  hills 
through  the  grates  of  the  window  on  which  I  was  reared 
and  played  in  my  youth ;  on  which  rest  the  remains  of  my 
aged  parents;  and  I  thought,  could  they  appear  and  hail  to 
me,  and  ask  “  What  are  you  doing  there?”  it  consoles  me 
to  know  that  I  could  have  answered,  “I  am  here  for  the 
love  of  that  which  you  taught  me  to  reverence  next  to  my 
God — the  Union.” 

At  Ashevilfe  I  was  bound  with  iron  fetters  and  sent  to 
Camp  Vance,  where  I  had  to  lay  under  heavy  frosts  without 
covering,  until  one  bright  evening,  just  when  the  trees  were 
casting  their  longest  shades,  the  move  of  a  large  bay  horse 
quickened  my  pulse.  In  a  moment  my  wife  and  little  son 
were  in  full  view.  I  came  very  near  springing  out  of  the  lot. 
‘•Halt!  halt!”  fell  harshly  on  my  ear.  I  was  permitted  to  see 
my  wife  only  in  the  presence  of  the  officer  of  the  day,  and 
was  forbid  any  private  conversation  whatever;  but  I  managed 
to  learn  from  her  that  the  papers  that  I  had  sent  by  the  lad 
were  all  safe,  and  that  they  had  no  positive  evidence  against 
me. 

Some  weeks  after  I,  with  a  lot  of  other  Tories ,  were  jammed 
into  a  box  car,  without  lire  or  water,  and  sent  to  the  prison 
pens  at  Camp  Holmes,  near  Haleigh  ;  and  soon  after  two 
of  my  boys  who  had  been  captured  were  sent  in,  and  I 
learned  from  them  that  many  had  succeeded  in  getting 
through,  some  captured,  some  shot,  and  some  fell  back  into 
the  mountains.  I  counseled  these  two  men,  as  I  did  all 
others  who  I  knew  were  safe,  to  make  their  escape  the  first 
opportunity  and  go  to  the  Yankees;  and  the  best  way  to  effect 
this  object  was  to  appear  as  cheerful  as  possible  until  a  good 
opportunity  offered  itself;  to  die  rather  than  fight  against 
the  United  States. 

From  the  prison  pens  at  Camp  Holmes  I  was  sent  to 
prison  at  Richmond,  Va.  Soon  after  the  conscript  law 


20 


\ 

v 


covered  my  age,  and  they  being  “hard  up”  for  soldiers, 
concluded  to  make  one  of  me.  Of  this  I  was  informed,  and 
received  the  intelligence  in  a  spirit  of  conformity  ;  not  that 
I  intended  to  raise  my  hand  against  the  United  States,  but 
it  gave  me  hope  of  escape.  I  was  sent  directly  to  Lee’s 
army  under  guard,  and  arrived  at  Brandy  Station  just  at  the 
time  the  Yankees  took  in  the  majority  of  General  Hoke’s 
brigade ;  in  this  my  heart  rejoiced.  Lee  immediately  fell 
back  on  the  Rapid  an. 

I  was  now  being  allowed  a  little  liberty  in  camp,  but  from 
continued  exposure  and  confinement,  my  health  was  quite 
feeble;  and  my  whole  study  was  how  I  should  make  my 
escape.  I  wrote  to  my  wife  to  cut  from  the  book  a  map  of 
the  State  of  Virginia,  and  send  it  in  a  letter  to  me  ;  to  have 
„  the  letter  mailed  at  some  distant  post  office,  and  to  address 

the  letter  to - ,  a  confidential  friend.  It  came 

to  hand  all  right.  My  wife  remarked  to  me,  after  I  got 
home,  that  she  knew  what  I  wanted  with  that  map.  This 
letter  brought  the  sad  intelligence  of  the  death  of  my 
brother,  who  fled  to  Kentucky. 

The  regiment  to  which  I  was  assigned  was  ordered  on 
picket  near  Moton’s  Ford.  I  was  placed  in  charge  of  a 
corporal,  with  my  mess-mates — two  conscripts,  with  whom  I 
had  become  quite  intimate,  and  an  old  soldier.  I  found 
from  sounding  with  poles,  that  the  water  was  too  deep  to 
wade,  and  both  sides  lined  with  ice.  The  early  part  of  the 
night  was  very  dark,  and  a  drizzling  rain  was  falling.  I 
suggested  to  my  two  friends  the  idea  of  lashing  some  rails 
together  as  a  kind  of  life-boat.  At  each  of  their  stated  two 
hours  on  post,  the  other  was  to  assist  me  in  fixing  the  raft. 
When  the  corporal  and  old  soldier  became  weary  and  slept, 
we  were  busily  engaged  under  a  bank  a  few  rods  from  a 
sink  in  which  they  slept.  Just  as  I  began  to  make  sure  of 
success,  a  storm  of  wind  and  hail  came  up  and  awakened 
the  corporal,  who  called  out,  “  What  are  you  doing  ?  you 
have  let  the  fire  burn  down.”  “We  have  been  sheltering 
under  some  trees,”  replied  one  of  my  comrades.  Thus  we 
were  disappointed,  and  the  work  of  demolishing  the  raft 
was  performed  by  one,  whilst  the  others  made  a  fire  with  the 
rails,  in  order  to  conceal  our  object.  •  The  reader  will  bear 
in  mind  that  I  was  still  held  as  a  prisoner,  but  with  extended 
privileges.  This  night’s  work  and  exposure  and  disappoint¬ 
ment  prostrated  me,  and  I  was  sent  to  hospital  at  Orange 
Court  House  ;  thence  to  Richmond,  where  I  remained  from 
January  until  July  following.  It  was  thought  at  one  time 


21 


that  I  would  not  recover,  but  in  April  I  got  on  foot.  Here 
(at  Jackson  and  Winder  hospitals)  I  saw  many  old  acquaint¬ 
ances,  and  had  every  facility  of  corresponding  with  my 
friends,  without  the  use  of  the  mails,  through  furloughed 
soldiers.  The  hospitals  were  frequently  over-run  with 
patients.  During  my  six  months  in  these  hospitals,  I  have 
no  doubt  that  I  did  the  confederate  cause  more  injury  than 
I  could  have  done  at  the  head  of  my  contemplated  regiment. 
Hundreds  are  now  living,  many  of  whom  went  through  the 
lines,  and  can  testify  to  the  fact  that  I  gave  them  the  points 
and  advised  them  tg  go  through  the  lines.  Of  course  I  used 
a  great  deal  of  caution  in  this. 

A  plan  was  set  on  foot  by  some  of  my  friends,  by  which 
they  supposed  I  could  be  released  and  sent  home.  An  elec¬ 
tion  was  coming  off  in  August  for  State  legislators.  I  was 
informed  that  the  Union  party  of  my  county  was  going  to 
run  my  name  secretly,  and  if  they  succeeded  I  was  bound 
to  be  released  and  sent  home.  In  order  that  the  reader  may 
fully  understand,  I  will  state  that  at  this  time  there  was  a 
regular  secret  line  of  communication  between  Knoxville, 
Tennessee,  and  the  mountains  of  western  North  Carolina, 
and  some  portions  of  my  section  were  being  held  by  the 
Union  men,  all  about  which  I  was  fully  apprised.  About 
this  time  a  letter  addressed  to  me  by  a  friend  was  violated 
and  divulged  the  plans  in  regard  to  the  election.  In  order 
to  relieve  my  friends  from  further  suspicion  of  a  secret  de¬ 
sign,  I  wrote  a  card  stating  that  “I  had  not  .changed  my 
principles  in  the  least ;  that  I  was  in  favor  of  an  election  in 
order  to  get  the  voice  of  the  people  in  regard  to  a  State  con¬ 
vention  in  favor  of  restoration  and  peace,  and  that  I  was  a 
candidate  on  these  grounds.”  Instead  of  appeasing  it  ex¬ 
asperated. 

I  had  written  and  sent  home  a  package  of  letters  by  a 
furloughed  soldier,  (a  cousin,)  several  of  which  were  extorted 
from  my  friends,  and  extracts  published  in  the  Henderson 
Times,  with  comments.  I  will  quote  from  that  paper  and 
italicise  the  extracts  taken  from  my  letters.  He  commences 
thus  : 

“  A.  H.  Jones. — *  *  *  We  have  felt  it  to  be  our  duty  to 
notice  Mr.  Jones  before  this,  but  from  private  personal  con¬ 
siderations  and  former  personal  intimacy  we  have  foreborne 
to  do  so.  But  we  are  in  a  crisis,  in  peril,  in  jeopardy.  *  * 
American  liberty  is  now  an  outcast  at  home  and  abroad  ; 
she  seeks  an  abiding-place  in  the  South.  And  that  liberty 
may  abide  with  us  our  army  is  battling  with  the  minions  of 


the  tyrant,  with  the  hordes  of  vagabonds  gathered  from  half 
the  nations  under  heaven.  *  *  *  At  first  led  away  by  his 
prejudices  he  formed  bad  associations,  and  attempted  to  or¬ 
ganize  disloyal  men  for  the  invasion  of  this  section  under 
his  leadership.  *  *  *  He  says,  if  men  could  witness  what  he 
has  they  w ould  favor  'peace  on  almost  any  terms,  unless  they  are 
very  demons .  *  *  *  We  hope  to  see  more  of  these  letters 
in  time  for  next  week.  *  *  *  Let  us  have  the  facts.  The 
recipients  are  known,  and  may  well  be  suspected  of  smug¬ 
gling  and  concealing  disloyal  sentiments.  *  *  *  Two  more 
of  Mr.  A.  H.  Jones’  letters  have  been  handed  to  us.  They 
are  as  corrupt  as  it  is  possible  to  make  them.  *  *  *  He  says 
that  he  has  never  yet  raised  his  hand  against  the  government  of 
his  choice ,  and  it  seems  to  him  that  he  would  sooner  die  than  do 
so.  *  *  *  He  says  that  he  knows  that  General  Grant  has  as¬ 
sumed  a  very  strong  position ,  and  that  the  fall  of  Richmond  is 
only  a  matter  of  time .” 

The  young  man  with  whom  I  entrusted  the  package  of 
some  twenty  letters  took  a  relapse,  and  did  not  deliver  the 
letters  in  person.  This  accounts  for  their  exposure.  Among 
them  was  one  addressed  to  my  wife,  which  was  referred  to 
in  one  of  the  others.  This  excited  suspicion,  and  the  letter 
was  demanded  and  refused.  I  had  taken  the  precaution  to 
write  two  of  the  same  date,  and  placed  them  in  the  same 
envelope,  for  the  reason  that  my  children  and  friends  read 
my  letters.  One  of  these  was  written  as  an  ordinary  family 
letter.  The  other  was  strictly  forbidden  ;  it  contained  in¬ 
structions  in  regard  to  my  eldest  son,  whom,  I  had  under¬ 
stood,  they  were  endeavoring  to  get  into  the  rebel  service. 
I  stated  in  this  letter  that  I  would  sooner  hear  of  his  burial, 
and  gave  my  wife  instructions  in  certain  contingencies.  An 
order  was  issued  at  headquarters,  Asheville,  to  arrest  my 
wife  and  take  her  to  jail,  unless  she  would  produce  the  let¬ 
ter.  An  officer  entered  her  chamber,  accompanied  by  her 
51  *  *  with  the  order,  in  the  presence  of  three  grown  daugh¬ 
ters,  the  eldest  of  whom  was  insane,  and  now  an  inmate  of 
the  lunatic  asylum,  caused,  as  I  shall  always  believe,  by  the 
effects  of  the  hated  rebellion.  She  surrendered  the  one,  but 
had  burned  the  other.  It  did  not  correspond  with  the  one 
referred  to,  but  there  was  the  date,  the  handwriting  and  my 
signature  ;  it  was  a  puzzle  for  them.  I  had  instructed  my 
wife,  in  case  there  was  a  raid  made  into  the  country,  which 
was  expected  soon,  to  apply  to  the  commander  and  take  the 
family  through  the  lines  and  let  the  property  go  ;  that  I  was 
gaining  strength,  and  that  I  intended  to  go  through  or 


23 


perish  in  the  attempt.  “  Be  sure  to  send  Thaddeus  oh* 
immediately.” 

Just  as  I  was  getting  fairly  able  to  walk  about,  I  had  no¬ 
tice  to  appear  at  hospital  headquarters.  Suspecting  some¬ 
thing,  I  at  once  destroyed  all  letters  and  apers  in  my  pos¬ 
session,  except  the  map  of  Virginia,  which  I  folded  into  as 
small  a  compass  as  possible,  with  a  !  iw  dollars  in  gold,  and 
concealed  them  as  near  the  centre  o'  gravity  as  possible. 

In  custody  I  was  sent  before  the  provost  marshal,  where 
I  was  searched  for  papers,  and  wher  he  newspaper  articles 
from  which  I  have  quoted — having  been  cut  out  and  pasted 
together,  with  the  letters  that  had  been  seized — were  pre¬ 
sented  to  me.  I  acknowledged  to  writing  the  letters,  wTith 
the  remark  that  they  were  private  letters,  and  simply  con¬ 
tained  my  opinions.  “I  suppose  then,”  said  he,  “you  are 
a  Union  man ;  are  you  not  ?  ”  I  replied,  “  I  suppose  you  have 
asked  me  for.the  truth  ?”  “  Certainly,  sir,”  said  he,  rather 

sharply.  I  told  him  that  I  had  always  been  a  constitutional 
Union  man.  He  hastily  writes  a  committment.  “  Here,  take 
this  man  to  Castle  Thunder;  he  is  a  dangerous  character.” 
I  was  then  conducted  to  the  prison  door,  where  I  was 
researched,  and  I  began  to  think  my  map  and  gold  would 
“go  up,”  but  they  did  not.  This  was  in  July.  I  was 
assigned  to  appartment  Ho.  10 — the  disloyal  room — where  I 
found  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  others,  of  all 
grades  of  society.  There  were  about  one  thousand  in  all  in 
the  different  apartments — male  and  female.  I  secured  my 
map  and  money  by  cutting  a  hole  in  the  waistband  of  my 
pants  with  a  piece  of  glass  I  submitted  to  my  fate  with  as 
much  fortitude  as  possible  ;  but  starvation  and  the  water 
soon  prostrated  me  again,  and  I  soon  became  insensible,  and 
was  removed  to  the  hospital  department  of  the  prison,  wrhere 
my  memory,  after  so  long,  returned  to  me.  The  lice  had 
preyed  upon  me  until  the  surface  of  my  skin  was  a  solid 
sore,  and  the  skin  cut  through  on  my  hips.  I  must  say  from 
this  time,  one  of  the  surgeons  acted  with  some  humanity 
towards  me.  Finally  I  got  on  foot,  and  was  returned  to 
room  No.  10,  and,  after  remaining  in  Castle  Thunder  nearly 
four  months,  I  was  sent  to  the  barracks ;  thence  to  Peters¬ 
burg  the  8th  of  November  ;  the  9th  was  returned  to  Kich- 
mond,  and  the  next  morning  to  the  provost  marshal’s  office, 
where  a  large  package  of  papers  were  handed  to  my  special 
guard,  with  orders  to  take  special  care  of  me.  I  was  sent 
to  Staunton.  Fresh  air  and  exercise  aboard  the  cars,  with 
better  rations,  had  gained  me  considerable  strength. 


24 


The  regiment  to  which  I  had  been  assigned  was  at  New 
Market,  in  the  Valley.  I  knew  that  a  trial  before  a  drum¬ 
head  court  martial,  was  pending,  and  now  I  doubled  my  for¬ 
mer  resolve  to  make  my  escape  or  die,  without  being  court 
martialed.  Preparatory  to  this  end,  I  divested  myself  of 
everything,  except  what  I  could  wear  and  my  blanket. 
Between  three  and  four  hundred  conscripts,  deserters,  and  a 
few  special  prisoners,  were  put  on  the  march  for  ISTew 
Market.  Being  fearful  of  my  strength,  and  anxious  to  get  as 
far  north  as  possible,  I  made  an  arrangement  with  one  of 
the  guards  to  ride  occasionally,  by  giving  him  all  the  con¬ 
federate  stuff  that  I  had. 

The  morning  of  the  17th  November  found  us  in  a  little 


less  than  a  day’s  march  of  New  Market.  Something  had  to 
be  done  soon.  No  possible  chance  offering  itself,  I  deter¬ 
mined  on  a  desperate  attempt :  that  was  to  dash  off  on  the 
horse,  get  to  the  woods,  and  leave  him  ;  but  no  sooner  had  I 
made  this  resolve,  than  I  found  that  Early’s  army  was 
scattered  all  along  on  either  side  of  the  road.  On  reaching 
New  Market,  the  guards  were  immediately  changed.  I  saw 
that  the  officers  whose  business  it  was  to  detail  the  men 
were  drinking.  Sheridan  had  been  pitching  in,  and  every¬ 
thing  was  in  confusion.  I  caught  a  chance,  and  as  quick  as 
thought  I  was  among  the  conscripts,  and  in  a  twinkling  I 
applied  to  one  of  the  conscript  guards  for  permission  to  step 
to  one  side.  “  All  right,”  said  he,  “just  pass  out  beyond 
that  brick  church.’’  My  thoughts  were  like  electricity. 
Squads  of  men  were  being  hurried  off  up  the  same  road  we 
had  gone  down.  This  was  a  crisis  with  me.  Looking  round 
I  saw  that  I  could  return  by  way  of  an  alley,  and  drop  in 
with  a  squad  of  men  that  were  being  sent  off.  Dropping  in, 
and  keeping  as  near  the  centre  of  the  squad  as  possible,  I 
could  not  avoid  looking  back,  fearing  detection.  After 
making  two  miles,  said  I:  “  Well,  boys,  I  leave  you  here.” 
“  Halloo  1  ”  says  the  officer  of  the  squad,  “  don’t  you  belong 
here?”  “No,  sir'ee!”  said  I,  “guess  not.”  Takes  out  his 
list;  finds  his  compliment  without  me.  Said  he,  “All 
right;  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  you.” 

On  the  west  side,  about  four  hundred  yards,  near  the  top 
of  a  small  mountain,  I  struck  the  woods.  Just  in  front  of 
me  I  discovered  an  ordnance  train.  As  quick  as  thought  I 
bore  a  little  to  the  right,  and  passed  on  to  the  highest 
point  of  the  mountain.  Here  I  brought  my  map  into  requi¬ 
sition.  The  village  on  the  right,  Rhodes’  division  to  my  left, 
and  the  Little  Shenandoah  river  running  round  in  front. 


25 


V er y  soon  I  got  the  position  of  the  picket  lines,  concealed  my¬ 
self  and  retrospected  until  dark.  The  stars  shining  brightly 
and  everything  under  foot  very  dry,  I  had  to  move  with 
great  caution,  and  soon  found  that  it  was  next  to  impossible 
to  pass  the  lines  under  the  circumstances,  and  retraced  my 
steps  to  the  little  mountain,  made  me  a  bed  of  leaves  and 
slept  soundly  until  morning  tattoo,  the  18th  November.  1 
spent  this  day  in  making  observations,  and  eat  the  only 
cracker  I  had.  The  evening  was  cloud}7  and  drizzling  rain. 
This  was  a  God-send  to  me.  I  had  selected  a  mountain 
across  the  valley  for  an  object.  Night  came,  and  I  set  out  a 
second  time;  approached  a  shoal  in  the  river,  the  noise  of 
which  led  me  to  a  shallow  place ;  about  midway  the  river  I 
stumbled  over  some  slick  rock,  which  drew  the  fire  of  a 
sentinel  on  the  bank  near  where  I  had  gone  in  at;  the 
Hash  of  the  gun  lighted  the  river  all  round  for  a  moment; 
but  with  double  care  I  succeeded  in  crossing,  and  had  to 
pass  another  picket  line  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  which 
was  so  steep  I  had  to  pull  up  by  my  hands;  some  distance 
up  I  accidentally  started  a  stone,  the  noise  of  which  drew 
the  fire  of  another  picket,  but  I  was  half  up,  and  soon  gained 
the  summit.  My  course  was  northwest,  in  the  direction  of 
a  large  ledge  of  mountains  selected  during  the  day.  The 
camp  fires,  now  in  my  rear,  served  me  as  a  guide  all  the 
early  part  of  the  night.  Weak  and  tired,  I  moved  slowly 
until  about  two  or  three  o’clock,  by  which  time  it  wTas  snow¬ 
ing  and  I  had  struck  the  mountains.  My  strength  failing 
me,  I  threw  myself  across  some  limbs  of  a  fallen  tree  top; 
almost  instantly  I  fell  into  a  kind  of  stupor,  and  immedi¬ 
ately  followed  a  shiver  that  brought  every  nerve  into  play; 
my  teeth  began  to  rattle;  a  chill  had  seized  upon  me;  a 
thought  and  an  effort  to  regain  my  feet,  but  failed  for  the 
moment.  “  Great  God,”  I  involuntarily  exclaimed,  “  am  I  to 
perish  after  all  1”  After  considerable  effort,  I  succeeded  in 
moving  off*.  Dajdight,  November  19th,  found  me  near  a 
large  gap  in  the  mountain  ;  proceeded  to  it ;  heard  a  cavalry 
horn  a  little  to  the  right  of  where  I  had  passed,  which  served 
to  caution  me.  To  the  left  in  a  little  valley,  I  discovered 
some  houses,  and  proceeded  to  reconnoiter;  refreshments 
being  indispensable  with  me  any  longer.  From  among 
several  homesteads  I  selected  one  and  ventured  in,  and  to 
my  great  comfort  found  myself  in  a  room  heated  up  by  a 
large  stove,  and  a  nice  old  dutch  lady  occupying  the  same. 
A  few  words  satisfied  me  that  there  was  no  immediate 
danger,  and  told  the  lady  that  I  wanted  something  to  eat; 
4 


26 


pointing  to  my  wet  blanket  and  exhibiting  a  large  worsted 
haversack  that  was  concealed  under  my  coat,  (one  that  my 
wife  had  brought  me  at  Camp  Vance.)  In  a  minute’s  time 
I  was  seated  at  the  table,  knife  and  fork  in  hand,  the  first 
time  now  more  than  a  year,  to  an  excellent  cold  breakfast. 
My  haversack  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  in  payment 
for  which  I  left  my  blanket.  Whilst  eating,  obtained  all  the 
information  that  I  could  by  asking  as  fewr  questions  as  possi¬ 
ble.  During  my  short  stay  here  my  feet  swelled,  and  it  was 
all  that  I  could  do  to  make  a  start.  The  snow  by  this  time 
had  covered  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three  inches, 
and  I  had  not  gone  far  until  I  crossed  a  road,  the  siepi  in 
which  showed  that  a  troop  of  mounted  men  had  passed,  no 
doubt  the  same  from  whence  came  the  sound  of  the  horn 
that  I  had  heard.  I  at  once  struck  into  the  south  side  of  a 
mountain,  immediately  in  my  front,  which  wTas  very  rugged 
and  rocky.  For  fear  of  being  pursued  I  walked  at  least  a 
half  mile,  stepping  from  the  point  of  one  rock  to  another 
that  stuck  above  the  snow,  in  order  to  evade  being  tracked. 
By  the  time  I  gained  the  summit  of  the  mountain  the  sky 
was  blue,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional  flying  cloud. 
On  examing  my  map  I  found  the  road  in  the  valley  from 
whence  I  had  just  emerged,  and  could  see  from  where  I 
stood  horsemen  traveling  the  same  to  and  fro.  Thankful 
for  the  narrow  escape  I  turned  my  eyes  and  course  north¬ 
ward,  and  had  not  proceeded  far  until  I  espied  a  cabin  away 
in  the  distance.  Many  winds  I  was  compelled  to  make  be¬ 
fore  I  reached  it.  After  reconnoitering  I  went  in  and  found 
a  dutch  widow  and  children.  “Good  evening”  said  I. 
“Good  eveninct,  thir,  comt  to  de  fire  ant  warmt  yer  thelf.” 
I  was  not  long  in  finding  out  their  sentiments — Union  to  the 
hub — she  informed  me  that  some  Georgians  had  killed  her 
son  Jake. 

It  was  quite  a  cold  night,  and  with  her  assurances  I  con¬ 
cluded  to  risk  myself  by  her  log  fire.  Next  morning,  the 
20th,  I  found  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  travel.  The 
old  lady  sent  for  her  son-in-law,  wdio  kindly  assisted  me  in 
reaching  a.  log  cabin  about  two  miles  distant,  and  provided 
me  with  some  matches.  I  spent  the  evening  meditating 
upon  my  physical  condition.  No  medicine,  nothing  to  rub 
my  swollen  and  stiffened  limbs.  Half  reclining,  with  my 
bod}^  upon  the  puncheon  floor  and  my  head  upon  a  stool ; 
gazing  round  the  walls,  canceling  these  things  in  my  mind, 
my  eyes  caught  upon  some  deer’s  feet  sticking  in  a  crack. 
It  reminded  me  in  a  moment  of  a  stock  cabin,  once  my  fath- 


A* 


27 

er‘s,  in  the  mountains  of  western  North  Carolina.  I  thought, 
0,  if  I  was  only  like  I  used  to  be,  how  I  could  scale  these 
mountains.  “  Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention.”  I 
broke  the  bones  of  the  deer’s  legs  and  bathed  my  joints  with 
the  oil.  Next  morning,  the  21st,  found  me  improved  a 
little,  and  concluded  to  remain  ;  I  washed,  eat,  and  bathed 
my  limbs  with  the  deer’s  oil,  and  made  myself  as  comforta¬ 
ble  as  possible. 

About  twelve  o’clock  a  strange-looking  man  entered  the 
cabin  and  handed  me  a  flask  of  brandy,  which  I  used  exter¬ 
nally  and  internally.  He  informed  me  all  about  the  country 
through  which  I  had  to  pass,  &c.  It  rained  all  day.  At 
night  I  bathed  as  usual,  and  found  myself  much  better  next 
morning,  the  22d,  and  set  out  according  to  directions,  and 
made  several  miles,  taking  my  time,  knowing  my  strength, 
and  passed  the  night  in  a  school  house,  where  I  eat  the  last 
of  my  provisions.  A  considerable  snow  fell  during  the 
night. 

The  morning  of  the  23d  of  November  I  set  out  and  had  to 
pass  a  settlement  and  some  picket  posts  in  the  gaps  of  the 
mountains,  in  order  to  gain  the  waters  of  Lost  river.  Very 
heavy  mountains  to  encounter,  and  the  snow  stuck  fast  to 
the  bushes,  which  gave  me  much  difficulty;  but  succeeded 
in  gaining  the  north  side,  and  late  in  the  evening  I  was 
passing  a  defile,  between  two  very  rugged  mountains,  along 
a  small  stream.  The  columns  of  rock  on  either  side  made 
it  impossible  to  get  round.  I  was  cautiously  moving  down 
this  defile,  when  just  ahead  I  saw  an  opening  to  a  sort  of 
valley;  a  few  steps  further  and  I  was  within  thirty  paces  of 
a  mill,  a  distillery,  and  some  six  or  eight  cavalry  horses 
hitched;  five  steps  back,  and  I  was  out  of  sight  of  these. 
But  hold!  I  heard  horses  approaching  in  the  direction  that 
I  had  come;  my  thoughts  were  like  electricity;  it  was  a  life 
and  death  case  ;  no  possible  chance  to  go  forward  nor  back¬ 
ward;  to  stand  still  was  to  go  up  certain.  To  my  right 
stood  a  laurel,  and  a  cedar  bush  immediately  on  the  brink  of 
the  creek  bank,  about  three  feet  above  the  water.  In  a 
thought  I  was  in  the  creek,  under  the  roots  of  the  bushes, 
which  concealed  me.  In  a  moment  more,  and  the  approach¬ 
ing  horses  passed  almost  immediately  over  me.  The  jar  of 
their  feet  caused  lumps  of  dirt  to  fall  on  me.  I  remained  in 
that  position  until  I  heard  the  party  leave,  by  which  time  it 
was  quite  dark  and  cold.  Cold  and  stiff,  I  struggled  some 
time  before  I  gained  the  road.  I  passed  down  as  quickly  as 
possible,  and  after  going  about  a  mile  I  saw  a  light  oft*  to 


28 


my  right,  and  approached  near  enough  to  see  a  woman  and 
two  children  in  a  neat  cahin.  I  hailed  at  the  door  and 
asked  permission  to  warm,  which  was  granted.  A  few 
words,  and  I  readily  learned  all  about  the  scouts.  “They 
greMosby’s  devils,  hunting  brandy,  conscripts  and  deserters,” 
said  she,  in  atone  that  I  never  mistook  in  a  woman.  I 
learned  many  valuable  things  from  her  by  asking  as  few 
questions  as  possible.  She  gave  me  supper,  and  it  being 
very  cold  I  remained  by  the  fire  until  the  moon  rose  the 
morning  of  the  24th.  iVfy  object  was  to  pass  some  springs, 
formerly  a  summer  resort,  before  daylight,  and  make  the 
waters  of  the  South  Potomac,  near  Moorfield  C.  H.,  during 
the  day.  Late  in  the  evening  passed  a  dead  man  in  blue 
clothes.  I  had  been  in  sight  of  Moorfield  from  the  time  I 
topped  the  mountain.  Notwithstanding  I  was  born  and 
brought  up  in  the  valley  of  the  French  Broad  river,  imme¬ 
diately  between  two  of  the  highest  mountains,  from  actual 
measurement  from  the  level  of  the  sea,  anywhere  east  of  the 
Rocky  mountains,  to  wit :  Mount  Pisgahand  Mount  Mitchel, 
where,  in  exploring  the  latter,  Professor  Mitchel  lost  his 
life  by  losing  his  foothold  on  a  bluff — I  repeat,  notwith¬ 
standing  all  this,  I  have  never  seen  heavier  or  more  rugged 
mountains  than  those  about  the  head-waters  of  the  Little 
Shenandoah,  Lost  and  South  Potomac  rivers. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  pass  without  goingnear  Moorfield, 
headquarters  for  a  portion  of  Mosby’s  command  at  that  time. 

This  evening  was  bitter  cold,  and  I  had  made  a  heavy 
day’s  travel  through  the  snow  without  anything  to  eat.  I 
made  for  a  double  cabin  within  two  miles  of  the  village. 
Dark  found  me  at  bey  by  a  very  fierce  dog,  by  which  I 
learned  there  was  no  one  about  but  some  women.  Very  soon 
I  was  at  the  fire,  depending  upon  the  faithful  dog  to  give 
the  alarm  should  any  one  approach  the  house.  In  less  than 
one  minute’s  time,  “bow,  wow,  wow,”  the  dog  went.  I 
stepped  out  to  wait  the  result.  “  It’s  nobody  but  dad,”  said 
a  girl.  He  was  quite  an  old  gentleman — a  shoemaker.  The 
old  lady  and  three  or  four  strapping  girls  were  sewing,  and 
the  old  gentleman  plying  his  vocation.  The  house  was  reg¬ 
ularly  visited  b}r  the  soldiers,  as  I  learned  from  the  follow¬ 
ing:  “Dad,  is  Bill  coming  for  his  shoes  to-night?  Nance, 
is  Henry  coming  for  his  pants  to-night?  Molly,  have  you 
got  Jake’s  shirt  done?  he  said  he  would  be  sure  to  come  to¬ 
night.”  “Bow,  wow,  bow,  wow,  wow,”  went  the  faithful 
dog  again.  Everybody  at  the  front  door  but  me,  and  I  out 
at  the  back  one.  A  large  torchlight  approaching  soon  re- 


29 


vealed  the  mystery.  Two  women  who  lived  in  a  cabin  hard 
by,  coming  from  town,  came  into  the  house  to  warm,  and 
the  following  conversation  ensued  :  “  Any  soldiers  in  town 
to-night,  Mrs.?”  “  No,  bless  you,  they  are  afraid  to  stay  in 
town  since  the  Feds,  run  them  out  the  other  day.  They  go 
out  and  camp  in  the  coves  at  night,  and  go  into  town  in  the 
daytime.”  “Wonder  if  anybody  has  buried  that  Swamp  the 
boys  killed  upon  the  mountain  the  other  day  !”  “  No,  they 

say  not.”  I  asked  what  they  called  a  Swamp.  “Law,  don’t 
you  know  what  a  Swamp  is?  Why,  it’s  a  home-made  Yankee. 
The  boys  wounded  one  and  started  off  with  him,  the  other 
day,  and  got  him  up  into  the  mountain  and  killed  him.” 
This  explained  all  about  the  dead  man  that  I  had  seen.  At 
a  late  hour  the  two  women  left.  I  turned  to  the  old  lady 
and,  exhibiting  a  gold  dollar,  told  her  I  wanted  something 
to  eat.  The  bargain  was  made,  and  before  daylight,  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  my  breakfast  was  eaten,  and  I  was  in 
the  act  of  starting,  when  to  my  great  regret  the  old  man  was 
ready  to  accompany  me  to  town.  I  had  told  them  I  was 
going  to  the  village.  We  started,  and  had  not  proceeded  far 
until  I  frankly  told  the  old  fellow  that  I  was  not  going  to 
town,  and  he  must  not  say  anything  about  me.  I  turned  to 
the  right,  and  had  not  gone  far  until  I  came  to  a  small  pas¬ 
ture  field.  He  had  beaten  me  there,  and  had  bridled  a  horse. 
“What,”  said  I,  “going  to  ride?”  “Yes.”  I  again  begged 
him  to  say  nothing  about  me  ;  that  he  saw  what  a  condition 
I  was  in,  and  that  I  was  after  no  harm,  and  was  only  trying 
to  save  my  life,  and  it  was  in  his  hands  if  he  chose  to  use  it. 
Said  he,  “I  understand  you  now;  you  are  trying  to  get 
north,  and  you  are  right.  I  was  fearful  you  were  trying  to 
get  my  horse,  or  I  should  not  have  started  with  you.  But,” 
continued  he,  “you  must  not  go  so  much  to  the  right;  go 
lower  down  ;  Mosby’s  men  are  camped  up  in  them  coves, 
and  will  catch  you.”  Daylight  was  just  making  its  appear¬ 
ance.  “See,”  said  he,  “that  road  over  there;  I  would 
advise  you  to  go  quick,”  pointing  the  direction  for  me.  I 
was  off,  and  crossing  the  road  and  passing  up  a  steep  bluff* 
barely  out  of  sight,  when  I  heard  cavalry  coming  down  the 
road.  Concealing  myself,  I  could  see  them  plain,  and  it  was 
now  light  enough  for  me  to  see  the  smoke  rising  from  the 
coves  to  my  right  and  in  front  of  me,  and  could  hear  voices 
and  the  tramp  of  horses  all  round.  Here  I  remained  all 
day ;  at  night  made  a  little  headway.  Next  morning,  the 
26th,  I  found  myself  on  a  mountain  nearly  opposite  Moor- 
field,  and  bearing  a  little  to  the  right,  to  avoid  roads  and 


30 


plantations,  I  traveled  slowly  all  day,  crossing  several  roads. 
At  nightfall  I  struck  the  main  road  leading  to  Romney,  as 
I  learned  from  my  map.  There  was  no  sign  of  travel  except 
a  strange-looking,  to  me,  foot-print,  made  by  a  very  broad 
square-toed  shoe,  going  in  the  same  direction  of  myself.  I 
ventured  to  travel  this  road  until  a  late  hour  at  night,  when, 
from  fatigue,  hunger  and  weakness,  I  was  compelled  to  stop, 
and  after  succeeding  in  raising  a  fire  and  making  me  a  bed 
of  split  rails  to  keep  me  off  the  wet  ground,  and  not  having 
slept  any  for  three  nights,  I  immediately  fell  asleep,  and 
when  I  awoke  was  in  the  act  of  eating  a  sweet  morsel.  Sad 
disappointment;  it  was  a  dream.  ‘Daylight  of  the  27th 
made  its  appearance,  and  I  fell  into  the  road  and  traveled 
about  a  mile,  when  all  at  once  large  farms  were  spread  out 
before  me,  with  excellent  improvements,  situated  on  the 
river.  I  turned  to  the  right  and  encircled  these,  winding 
my  way  across  sharp  ridges,  now  and  then  comiug  upon  two 
or  three  fine  horses  haltered  in  the  thickets.  Continuing  to 
reconnoitre,  I  hoped  to  find  a  safe  place  to  get  something  to 
eat.  The  snow  had  now  quite  gone  off  in  the  valleys,  and 
it  was  now  about  noon,  and  whilst  sitting  upon  a  log  on  the 
sunny  side  of  a  sharp  ridge,  near  the  top,  I  heard  a  pack  of 
hounds  away  in  the  distance  from  whence  I  had  come.  This 
reminded  me  of  the  chase  that  I  had  so  often  enjoyed  in  my 
native  mountains.  On  they  sped,  sometimes  apparently  on 
a  trail,  at  others  in  full  chase.  As  they  came  nearer  the 
thought  struck  me  like  magic  that  they  were  on  my  trail. 
I  instantly  moved  to  the  highest  point  on  the  spur  of  the 
mountain,  from  which  I  could  see  everything  that  was  going 
on,  and  survey  the  ground  over  which  I  had  come.  I  deter¬ 
mined  to  satisfy  myself  before  resorting  to  any  measure  to 
evade  them,  and  in  case  they  made  a  certain  gap  of  a  ridge 
through  which  I  had  passed,  which  was  now  in  plain  view, 
I  would  put  one  of  my  plans  into  immediate  execution. 
The  suspense  was  awful,  but  it  did  not  last  long,  for  in  less 
than  a  minute’s  time  they  were  coming  through  the  gap  full 
drive.  I  was  now  very  much  excited,  and  hurried  to  a  spot 
where  I  had  passed  three  fine  horses  hitched.  I  loosed  the 
best  looking  one  and  mounted  him,  with  a  good  brush  in  my 
hand.  On  I  sped  over  logs,  through  the  brushwood,  until 
I  reached  the  head  of  the  cove  ;  then  turning  to  the  left 
through  a  gap  in  the  direction  which  I  was  traveling.  On  I 
went  until  I  was  hemmed  in  on  my  right  and  in  front  by 
bluffs.  I  released  the  horse  and  made  my  way  to  a  spur  of 
a  riuge  overlooking  the  road,  river,  and  everything  in  the 


31 


vicinity.  Seeing  some  shocks  of  corn  in  a  field  just  below 
me  I  remained  here  until  night,  and  'pressed  four  or  five  ears 
of  corn,  which  I  ate.  I  had  not  eaten  anything  for  three 
days  except  sassafras  buds  and  roots.  Excitement  will  some¬ 
times  cause  one  to  forget  their  suffering.  I  never  knew 
what  became  of  the  hounds.  I  shall  always  believe  a  man 
who  was  hauling  wood  saw  and  reported  me. 

1  don’t  know  which  party  the  citizens  were  hiding  their 
horses  from  ;  perhaps  both.  I  traveled  all  night ;  passed 
Romney  about  three  o’clock;  took  the  wrong  road;  trav¬ 
eled  some  five  miles;  saw  a  light  in  a  house;  called  in  and 
got  a  good  breakfast.  Here  I  found  that  my  feet  were  frost¬ 
bitten.  After  receiving  instructions,  the  morning  of  the 
28th;  I  spent  the  day  in  making  five  miles  to  the  residence 
of  a  Mr.  Haynes.  I  could  not  refrain  from  tears  ;  from  the 
kind  treatment  of  this  gentleman  and  his  lady  I  received 
all  the  attention  possible.  On  drawing  my  old  socks  the 
skin  cleaved  from  the  flesh.  They  were  anointed  and  dressed 
by  the  good  lady.  A  nice  supper,  bed  and  breakfast.  With 
full  directions  I  hobbled  off;  struck  the  river  at  the  wire 
bridge,  (destroyed;)  found  a  man  in  blue  ready  to  set  me 
over,  and  he  informed  me  that  I  was  entirely  out  of  danger. 
Passing  through  Springfield  I  reached  Green  Springs,  Md., 
in  the  evening.  I  immediately  reported  to  the  comman¬ 
der  of  the  post,  and  requested  him  to  send  me  to  Cumber¬ 
land,  Maryland.  “  All  right,”  said  he  ;  “  the  cars  will  be  here 
in  a  few  minutes,  and  I  will  send  you.”  The  cars  arrived  in 
due  time,  and  I  soon  found  myself  at  the  provost  marshal’s 
office  at  Cumberland,  the  evening  of  the  29th  November, 
1864. 

I  related  all  the  circumstances  in  my  case,  at  the  same 
time  giving  good  references  as  to  the  facts.  I  remained  here 
three  days,  and  was  very  kindly  treated,  especially  by  Acting 
Post  Adjutant  J.  H.  Rhind.  Here  I  received  railroad  trans¬ 
portation  to  Wheeling,  Virginia,  with  instructions  to  that 
department,  where  I  was  kindly  received,  and  furnished  first- 
class  passage,  on  board  the  steamer  Peerless,  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  Arrived  at  Cincinnati  December  4th,  and  reported  to 
Provost  Marshal  A.  C.  Jones,  who  sent  me  to  the  Relief 
Commission.  Here  I  was  taken  sick,  and  is  it  to  be  won¬ 
dered  at,  having  been  exposed  for  fifteen  months  under  con¬ 
tinual  excitement ;  yea,  for  nearly  four  years  ?  The  change, 
so  sudden ;  the  liability  of  eating  too  much  immediately 
after  the  next  thing  to  starvation.  I  was  a  perfect  wreck  of 
humanity ;  but  medical  attention  and  kind  treatment,  with 


32 


clean  clothes  and  good  diet,  I  was  soon  transposed,  as  it 
.were,  and  made  anew.  Here,  among  strangers,  with  my 
liberties  restored,  amidst  plenty  and  prosperity,  the  reflec¬ 
tions  of  these  things  had  a  tendency  to  a  redoubled  hatred 
of  those  black  and  murderous  hearts  and  treacherous  hands 
which  smote  the  flag  of  my  country — the  eaiblem  of  lib¬ 
erty— and  drove  me  from  my  native  section  and  family. 

Looking  over  the  Daily  Cincinnati  Commercial  early  one 
morning,  I  read  an  editorial  account  of  Captain  Albert 
Grant’s  making  his  escape  from  prison,  (Columbia,  South 
Carolina ;)  the  thrilling  account  of  his  kind  treatment  the 
moment  he  struck  the  mountains  of  western  North  Carolina; 
getting  his  shoes  mended  in  a  cave ;  furnished  with  pro¬ 
visions  and  pilots  through  the  lines,  &c.  On  investigation 
I  found  that  he  had  passed  within  a  few  miles  of  my  native 
village.  A  few  evenings  after  Mr.  Davis,  correspondent  of 
the  New  York  Herald ,  addressed  a  very  large  assemblage  at 
Mozart  Hall,  giving  an  account  of  his  escape  from  Salisbury 
prison,  North  Carolina.  In  that  part  of  his  discourse  rela¬ 
tive  to  his  kind  treatment  the  moment  he  struck  the  moun¬ 
tain  counties  ;  the  faithfulness  of  the  Union  men  ;  their  do¬ 
ings  ;  the  treatment  that  their  families  were  receiving  from 
the  hands  of  the  rebel  details,  &c.,  elated  and  excited  me  to 
such  an  extent  that  I  could  scarcely  restrain  the  emotions  of 
my  mind. 

From  here  (Cincinnati)  I  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary  of  War,  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  which  was  referred  to  Gen¬ 
eral  Palmer.  Also  one,  through  my  friend  Dr.  W.  R.  Sevier 
of  East  Tennessee,  to  General  Samuel  Milligan,  giving  un¬ 
doubted  reference  as  to  the  statements  contained  in  the  let¬ 
ter;  by  which  means  I  obtained  a  passport  and  transporta¬ 
tion  to  Knoxville,  Tennessee. 

Left  Cincinnati  the  first  day  of  March  for  Knoxville,  by 
way  of  Seymore,  Indiana,  Louisville,  Kentucky,  Nashville  1 
and  Chattanooga,  Tennessee.  At  the  latter  place  met  with  j 
Colonel  Smoot,  of  Wilkes  county,  North  Carolina,  and  near 
which,  in  passing  through  Missionary  Ridge,  the  tunnel  fell 
in  on  the  train,  smashing  some  cars,  killing  two  and  wound-  j 
ing  several  other  soldiers.  Arrived  at  Knoxville  and  met 
many  of  my  old  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  from  whom 
I  received  many  pleasing  as  well  as  painful  accounts  of 
occurrences  that  had  taken  place  during  my  absence.  Here 
I  learned  that  the  plans  which  I  had  set  on  foot  resulted  in 
the  organization  of  two  full  regiments  and  the  third  one 
started.  The  third  was  stationed  here,  commanded  by  Col-  r 


onel  Kirk;  the  second  at  Cumberland  Gap,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Bartlett  of  Ohio.  Among  these  were  the  following 
commissioned  officers  from  my  own  county;  Captain  .Hamil¬ 
ton,  Captain  Levi  Jones,  Lieutenant  Anderson,  Lieutenant 
Bradley  and  Lieutenant  Morrison.  Besides  these  regiments 
hundreds  had  joined  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Indiana  and 
Ohio  regiments,  and  hundreds  besides  in  other  Government 
employ. 

Scarcely  a  day  passed  now  without  some  intelligence  from 
western  North  Carolina.  The  details,  alias  horse-thieves, 
were  ravaging  the  country,  distressing  the  citizens,  women 
and  children ;  many  of  whom  cared  neither  for  king  nor 
country.  I  have  no  allusion  to  the  militia. 

That  the  rebellion  was  now  about  over  was  apparent  to 
every  well-informed  mind.  General  Thomas  was  now 
making  a  move  in  the  direction  of  Richmond,  and  I  ad¬ 
vanced  with  a  portion  of  the  army  to  Greenville,  Tenn.,  to 
await  an  advance  into  western  North  Carolina.  Here  I 
came  very  near  going  up  the  “  spout  ”  again.  The  garrison 
stationed  here  was  ordered  away  ;  the  Fourth  Tennessee 
and  others  to  take  their  place,  which  left  a  gap  of  only  one 
day,  during  wThich  time  about  a  hundred  of  Vaughn’s  men 
pitched  into  the  town  with  a  savage  yell,  only  for  which  they 
might  have  got  me;  but  having  learned  that  “  eternal  vigi¬ 
lance  was  the  price  of  liberty,”  I  made  my  escape  with  three 
or  four  others,  and  fell  back  to  Lick  creek  near  Bull’s  Gap, 
and  remained  with  the  army  until  I  got  notice  that  Colonel 
Kirby,  of  the  Fourth  army  corps,  was  ordered  to  make  a 
feint  movement  with  a  brigade  on  Ashville,  and  was  invited 
to  go  along,  which  I  did.  I  had  been  interrogated  by  the 
officers  and  asked  my  opinion  in  regard  to  the  place  and  the 
men.  I  told  them  that  I  knew  that  many  of  the  men,  the 
majority  in  my  opinion,  were  Union  men,  and  were  held 
there  by  force  alone ;  and  if  they  would  make  a  feint 
attack  the  Union  men  would  disperse,  and  the  place  could 
be  taken  without  much  loss  of  life  on  either  side.  While  at 
Knoxville  I  had  received  messages  to  this  effect  from  reliable 
men,  &c.  The  arrangement  was  this :  while  Kirby  feigned 
an  attack  to  allow  all  that  would  to  disperse,  General  Gillum 
was  to  come  in  the  rear  and  capture  the  place  ;  all  of  which 
was  effectually  accomplished  without  the  loss  of  a  half 
dozen  men  on  both  sides.  Just  about  this  time,  the  news  of 
Lee’s  surrender  was  hailed  with  much  rejoicing  in  the  army 
and  throughout  the  country. 

I  fell  back  to  Greenville  with  Colonel  Kirby’s  command, 

5 


arid  after  remaining  a  short  time,  the  North  Carolina  regi¬ 
ments  with  some  cavalry  took  quiet  possession  of  the 
country ;  when  finally,  on  the  first  day  of  May,  i  reached 
my  home  and  family  after  an  absence  of  nearly  two  years, 
■where  I  was  heartily  greeted  by  all.  What  a  mighty  change. 
Most  of  the  desperate  characters  had  fled  from  the  country 
on  the  approach  of  the  Union  army,  and  the  refugees 
returning  home  ;  and  a  strong  disposition  on  the  part  of 
many  to  retaliate  for  the  injuries  they  had  received,  and 
summary  punishment  being  inflicted  in  many  instances, 
against  which  I  protested  ;  I  advised  peace  and  the  restora¬ 
tion  of  law  and  order  in  the  country.  A  convention  of  the 
Union  party  was  held  at  a  celebration  of  the  Fourth  of  July 
in  Hendersonville,  in  which  I  received  the  nomination, 

,  unanimously,  as  the  candidate  to  represent  the  people  of 
1  Henderson  and  Transylvania  counties  in  the  State  conven¬ 
tion.  Before  the  people  I  received  nearly  eleven  votes  to 
one  over  my  opponent,  notwithstanding  I  was  pronounced 
the  negro  equality  candidate  in  a  printed  circular.  This  was 
done  because,  in  addressing  the  people  on  the  Fourth,  I  told 
them  that  slavery  had  played  out ;  that  there  was  no 
longer  a  slave  on  the  American  continent;  and  that  James 
Buchanan,  Jeff.  Davis,  Yancy,  Rhett  &  Co.  had  destroyed 
the  institution  under  the  title  of  secession,  and  did  not 
deserve  any  credit  for  it  from  either  party;  and  that  it  was 
our  duty  as  a  people  to  use  the  great  lesson  that  the  rebellion 
had  taught  us  to  the  best  possible  advantage  in  the  future, 
&c. 

In  the  State  convention  ordinances  were  passed  abrogat¬ 
ing  secession  ;  involuntary  servitude  forever  abolished,  and 
to  prohibit  the  rebel  war  debt  or  any  part  thereof  from  ever 
being  paid.  Myself  and  colleagues  from  the  mountain 
counties,  now  comprising  the  seventh  congressional  district, 
almost  to  a  man  voted  for  these  measures.  I  prepared  and 
offered  a  proposition  for  the  protection  of  and  regulating 
contracts  with  the  freedmen,  but  it  was  ruled  out  by  the 
committee  on  business  for  the  consideration  of  the  con¬ 
vention. 

During  the  sitting  of  the  convention  printed  notices  were 
laid  upon  the  desks  of  the  members,  stating  that  there  was 
not  the  least  hope  or  probability  that  the  congressional  test 
oath  would  be  removed  or  modified.  In  consideration  of 
these  things,  it  was  proposed  by  some  of  the  “  straightest  ” 
Union  members,  that  I  announce  my  name  as  a  candidate 
for  Congress,  which  I  did ;  and  the  time  being  so  short  as  to 


35 


render  it  impossible  to  canvass  the  district,  I  issued  a  circu¬ 
lar  setting  forth  the  course  that  I  had  pursued  before  the 
war,  during  the  war,  and  after  the  war  ;  and  notwithstanding 
a  circular  was  issued  at  Ashville  by  one  of  my  opponents, 
J.  R.  Love,  only  a  few  days  previous  to  the  election,  and 
scattered  throughout  the  district  by  his  secession  emissaries, 
grossly  misrepresenting  me,  knowing  that  I  could  not  meet 
and  refute  the  slanders  until  the  election  was  over,  the 
result  of  which  stands  thus: 

A.  H.  Jones,  uncompromising  Union - 3,486  votes. 

Tod  11.  Caldwell,  Esq.,  claims  to  be  Union-1,688 

B.  S.  Gaither,  Esq.,  Union  in  the  outset  of 
the  war,  but  did  not  stick ;  ex-member  of 


the  rebel  congress - - - 2,316 

J.  R.  Love,  Esq.,  original  secessionist,  and  a 


rebel  colonel —  - 1,619 

Scattering -  300 


u 


u 

u 


Many  Union  men  went  to  the  polls,  intending  t<3  vote  for 
me,  but  declined  casting  a  vote  on  account  of  the  charge 
made  in  Love’s  circular.  The  charge,  in  short,  was  this: 
that  I  had  voted  in  the  convention  for  a  proposition  to 
punish  all  who  had  been  in  the  rebel  service,  &c.,  after  they 
had  been  pardoned  by  the  President.  The  object  of  this 
was  to  keep  that  portion  of  the  Union  voters,  who  had  been 
forced  in  one  way  or  another  into  the  rebel  service,  from 
supporting  me,  and  succeeded  to  a  considerable  extent  where 
I  was  not  well  known. 

From  actual  calculation  it  is  ascertained  that  from  the 
twenty  counties  composing  the  mountain  or  seventh  con¬ 
gressional  'district  of  Uorth  Carolina,  with  the  additional 
county  of  Wilkes,  no  less  than  five  thousand  seven  hundied 
and  ninety  white  males,  from  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
and  unwards,  crossed  the  lines ;  three-fourths  of  which 
number  were  in  the  Federal  army,  besides  one  hundred  and 
eighty-three  who  it  is  known  lost  their  lives  in  the  effort  to 

get  through.  T  1 

According  to  the  request  of  many  friends,  I  have  given  a 

faithful  and  simple  statement  of  facts  in  regard  to  the  course 
that  I  have  pursued  ;  and  occupying  the  position  that  1  now 
do,  I  cannot,  consistent  with  my  feelings,  close  without  a 

word  to  my  constituents.  n 

The  war  is  over,  and  its  results  defined.  Let  all  strike 

hands  in  friendship,  in  mutual  forbearauce.  Let  us  torget 
the  gloomy  past.  Let  the  many  wounds  that  have  been  in¬ 
flicted  be  healed.  Let  us  forgive  and  be  forgiven,  and  once 


36 


more  unite  our  efforts  in  the  pursuit  ot  prosperity  and  hap¬ 
piness.  This  is  due  to  ourselves,  to  our  posterity,  and  to 
our  common  country. 

The  great  bone  of  contention  is  removed,  to  wit,  slavery; 
and,  comparatively  speaking,  we  feel  it  less  than  most  any 
other  portion  of  the  South,  being  but  proportionally  few  of 
the  freedmen  among  us.  Towards  these  it  is  our  duty  to 
he  charitable.  They  had  no  agency  whatever  within  them¬ 
selves  in  bringing  on  the  war,  while  the  very  means  used  to 
keep  them  in  bondage  has  been  instrumental  in  their  free¬ 
dom.  We  cannot  reasonably  blame  them  for  wanting  to  be 
free.  It  is  a  boon  that  all  human  beings  desire,  and  the  fiat 
has  gone  forth  ;  the  decree  is  passed  and  unalterably  fixed 
that  the  colored  race  is  henceforward  and  forever  free.  Had 
I  the  power  I  would  not  restore  slavery.  It  would  be  an 
incubus  to  the  security  of  the  Government,  to  the  advance- 
ment  of  the  age,  and  to  the  interests  of  western  Uorth 
Carolina.  It  seems  that  the  war  had  to  come  ;  it  is  now 
over;  let  us  abide  its  results  as  one  of  the  great  events  in 
God’s  providence. 

I  took  the  grounds  in  my  circular  in  favor  of  colonization 
at  the  earliest  practicable  period,  but  I  now  believe  if  coloni¬ 
zation  ever  takes  place  it  will  he  a  voluntary  thing  on  the 
part  of  the  colored  race;  and  this  is  not  a  probable  result 
for  years  to  come,  if  ever.  Hence  it  is  the  duty  of  the  State 
to  provide  laws  to  secure  them  in  person,  property  and  law¬ 
ful  pursuits,  and  to  encourage  them  to  honesty,  industry 

and  morality. 

«/ 

I  have  no  doubt  that  in  a  few  years  the  revolution,  though 
an  awful  shock,  will  prove  beneficial  individually  and  na¬ 
tionally.  It  will  develop  a  greater  energy  in  our  people, 
unless,  as  is  too  often  the  case  according  to  history,  the  vic¬ 
torious  party  oppress  the  conquered  to'too  great  an  extent. 
We  hope  and  believe  it  will  be  otherwise  with  the  United 
States,  especially  those  portions  of  the  South  which  have 
shown  such  a  strong  devotion  to  the  Government.  Speaking 
the  same  language,  professing  the  same  religion,  and  asso¬ 
ciated  in  the  hallowed  memories  of  the  past,  it  would  be 
unmanly  and  unchristian  to  exhibit  toward  us  any  other 
than  a  generous  spirit  and  kind  treatment.  An  unforgiving 
disposition  is  an  indication  ol  a  low  and  brutal  nature. 
“To  err,  is  human  ;  to  forgive,  divine.” 

I>ut  for  those  who  have  been  leading  the  rebellion,  occu¬ 
pying  high  positions,  military  and  civil,  with  all  the  vindic¬ 
tiveness  and  ingenuity  that  could  be  brought  to  bear  to 


37 


break  up  the  Union  for  four  years,  now  to  come  in  and  oc- 
cupy  the  most  responsible  positions  in  the  Government,  is 
unreasonable  and  ought  not  to  be  expected  ;  especially  those 
who  plied  their  vocations  to  this  end  while  holding  offices 
in  the  Government  of  the  United  States  previous  to  the 
war. 

Western  Korth  Carolina,  in  many  respects,  is  a  peculiar 
and  interesting  section  of  country.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  East  Tennessee  and  southwestern  Virginia;  on  the 
west  by  East  Tennessee;  on  the  south  by  northern  Georgia 
and  South  Carolina.  Occupying  the  highest  altitude  of  any 
section  east  of  the  Rocky  mountains — the  blue  ridge  run¬ 
ning  through  it  from  a  southwest  in  a  northeast  direction — 
it  is  noted  as  having  the  purest  atmosphere  and  free-stone 
water  in  the  world.  From  its  mountains  spring  the  head¬ 
waters  of  the  Kanawha,  Dan,  Cape  Fear,  Great  Pedee,  Wa- 
teree,  Broad,  Saluda,  Savannah,  Chattahoochee,  Coosa  and 
Tennessee  rivers.  Through  it  pass  too  well-graded  and  ex¬ 
cellent  turnpike  roads,  one  starting  at  Greenville,  Tennes¬ 
see,  running  south  via  Paint  Rock,  Warm  Springs,  Ashe¬ 
ville  and  Hendersonville,  branching  and  crossing  Saluda  and 
Jones’  Gaps  into  South  Carolina;  the  other,  starting  at  the 
head  of  the  railroad  at  Morganton,  passing  west  by  Marion 
through  Swananoah  Gap  via  Asheville,  Waynesville,  Webster, 
Franklin,  and  Murphy,  into  Tennessee  and  Georgia. 

In  this  section  there  is  some  of  the  most  interesting  nat¬ 
ural  scenery  to  be  found  on  the  continent;  among  which  are 
Paint  Rock,  Caesar’s  Head,  and  Chimney  Rock;  near  the 
last  named  leaps,  from  near  the  summit  of  a  mountain  appa¬ 
rently  of  solid  rock,  a  clear  stream  of  water,  making  at  one 
bound  a  distance  of  some  two  hundred  feet  perpendicular. 
Cascades  are  quite  numerous,  and  the  water  power  in  this 
mountain  section  of  country  cannot  be  surpassed  in  the 
world.  Iron  ore  abounds  in  some  localities,  and  other  val¬ 
uable  minerals  have  been  discovered.  The  soil,  composed 
of  every  variety,  is  adapted  to  the  culture  of  corn,  rye,  oats, 
buckwheat,  grasses,  and  fruits,  particularly  apples.  Irish 
potatoes  and  cabbage  are  raised  to  great  perfection.  Fair 
wheat  is  raised  in  some  counties. 

The  principal  source  of  income  was  from  the  raising  of 
stock.  Previous  to  the  war  immense  herds  of  cattle  roamed 
over  the  mountains,  grazing  upon  the  wild  range,  which 
were  driven  to  the  markets  of  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and 
Virginia,  during  the  fall  and  winter.  The  terminus  of  no 
less°than  five  railroads  are  pointing  in  the  direction  of  this 


38 


mountain  country,  to  wit  :  from  Morriston,  Tennessee ; 
Morganton,  North  Carolina ;  Cherryville,  North  Carolina ; 
Spartanburg,  South  Carolina;  and  Greenville,  South  Caro¬ 
lina  ;  the  extension  of  some  of  which  was  under  contract  and 
their  construction  under  way  previous  to  the  war ;  all  of  which 
now  lie  dormant.  Here  is  a  grand  opening  for  capitalists, 
which  no  doubt  will  be  seized  upon  at  an  early  day.  The 
freedman  would  be  glad  to  get  employment,  even  at  low 
wages,  to  work  on  these  roads.  It  would  at  once  circulate 
money  in  the  country,  stimulate  the  farmer,  the  mechanic, 
and  infuse  vigor  into  all  departments  and  pursuits  of  life. 

In  view  of  these  reasonable  calculations,  I  implore  my 
fellow  citizens  to  take  courage  and  unite  their  efforts  in 
building  up  the  country.  Repair  your  farms;  everything 
that  sustains  life  comes  from  the  ground — the  farm  ;  sow 
your  seed,  be  cheerful  and  charitable.  Encourage  the  resto¬ 
ration  of  your  colleges,  academies,  and  common  schools,  and 
everything  that  tends  to  the  promotion  and  happiness  of  our 
common  country,  and  all  will  be  well.  The  pursuit  of  peace, 
prosperity,  and  happiness,  is  the  duty  of  man.  May  the 
great  God  of  nations,  the  King  of  kings,  rest  and  abide  with 
us  as  a  people  and  as  a  nation,  is  the  earnest  petition  of 
your  humble  servant, 

ALEXANDER  II.  JONES. 

December,  1865. 


P*  S. — January  the  5th,  1866.  In  pursuance  of  my  duty 
to  a  loyal  constituency,  and  in  justice  to  myself,  I  am  at 
the  capital  of  the  nation  “  knocking  at  the  door.” 


